Being a part of an NBA team’s starting five is a badge of honor every player strives for. It typically means that a player is considered one of the team’s five best players and would be tasked to play the bulk of the minutes in every game. However, in the case of Keith Bogans on the Chicago Bulls during the 2010-2011 season, his starting role was a bit perplexing.
Bogans, a journeyman shooting guard who played for eight different teams in his 11-year career, started all 82 games for Chicago that season. However, he was unlike any of the starters on other NBA squads as he averaged only 4.4 points, played only 17 minutes a game and was usually on the bench during crunch time.
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All these weren’t lost on his Bulls teammates, particularly veteran big man Kurt Thomas, who endlessly ribbed him about his role on the team. However, all the jokes were made in jest as everyone on the team recognized Bogans’ contributions and value to the squad.
Bogans was not a typical NBA shooting guard
When hoop fans discuss shooting guards, the first players that immediately come to mind are Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant. Sleek, athletic and explosive players who can score at will and dominate the game. However, Bogans was far from that mold.
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Standing at a modest 6’5″, he didn’t have the height or size to overpower his opponents. And while he was no slouch in terms of athleticism, he wasn’t known for posterizing dunks or highlight-reel plays either. As for shooting? Well, his career field goal percentage of 39 percent and three-point percentage of 35 percent don’t exactly scream sharpshooter.
“What I remember most about Keith Bogans is Kurt Thomas always making fun of him,” Bulls forward Brian Scalabrine shared.
“Kurt would get onto him because typically in the NBA, at shooting guard, you scored a lot and you were athletic. I mean, that’s generally what comes to mind when you think of a typical NBA shooting guard. Either he can shoot the ball really well, score the ball really well, and he’s usually athletic,” Ronnie Brewer chimed in. “Well, that wasn’t what Keith was.”
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As fierce as Kurt was (his nickname of “Crazy Eyes” spoke volumes about his nasty reputation on the court), he was a renowned prankster off the floor. And Keith was his favorite target.
“When we would go out and we’d be talking to some people and they’d be, like, ‘Do you start?’ And Keith Bogans would be, like, ‘Yeah, I start for the Bulls.’ And then Kurt Thomas would run over there and be, like, ‘Yeah, but you won’t see him in the second and fourth quarters,'” Scal narrated with a laugh. “No matter how good of a game he had, you never see him in the second and fourth.”
He was a starter for a reason
Bulls head coach Tom Thibodeau is a lot of things, but he is no fool. Known for his team’s defensive prowess, Thibs put Bogans in the starting lineup with Derrick Rose, Luol Deng, Carlos Boozer and Joakim Noah to help set that game’s defensive tone.
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“He didn’t get a crazy amount of attention. But he came in and did his job day in, day out. He didn’t want his name in the headlines. But he went out there and guarded the best player every night,” Brewer said of his unheralded teammate.
“The defensive mentality is the thing that gets lost, how he guarded the best player, and he could bring it to start the game. He’d get right into the game,” Scal added. “He would guard tough players and establish the defensive identity at the start of games. He doesn’t get a lot of credit, but I thought he was really important to establishing how you want to play at the beginning of the game.”
People often think that trotting out a starting five composed of five All-Stars is the best way to win an NBA title. But the reality is, it’s not that simple. While having star power certainly helps, a team needs role players to complement their stars and fill in the gaps where needed. That’s where players like Bogans come in.
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This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Sep 10, 2025, where it first appeared in the Old School section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.