1986–87 Chicago Bulls season
Encyclopedia
The 1986–87 Chicago Bulls season was the 21st season of the franchise in the National Basketball Association
(NBA).
17 Mike Brown C-F
11 Fred Cofield G
22 Steve Colter G
40 Dave Corzine C
25 Earl Cureton F-C
30 Darren Daye F-G
23 Michael Jordan
G-F
10 Pete Myers
G-F
34 Charles Oakley
F-C
5 John Paxson
G
50 Ben Poquette F-C
6 Brad Sellers C-F
3 Sedale Threatt
G
21 Elston Turner G-F
31 Granville Waiters
12-24 Perry Young
, in for 1986-87, the Bulls improved to 40-42. Chicago qualified for the playoffs for the third straight season but was again eliminated by Boston in the first round.
The team's record was a secondary concern for most fans, who had their eyes riveted on team superstar Jordan. In late November and early December he went on a rampage, scoring 40 or more points in nine consecutive games. On February 26 he poured in 58 points against the New Jersey Nets
, including a record 26 of 27 free throws. On March 4 he hit for 61 points against Detroit. Just a month later, on April 16, he matched that performance with 61 against Atlanta. That season Jordan became the first NBA player to reach 3,000 points in a season since Wilt Chamberlain
did it in 1962-63.
Jordan led the league in scoring at 37.1 points per game, his career high for a season. He set Bulls single-season records for points (3,041), field goals (1,098), free throws (833), and steals (236). His output was rewarded with the first in a series of All-NBA First Team selections.
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
(NBA).
NBA Draft
Note: This is not an extensive list; it only covers the first and second rounds, and any other players drafted by the franchise that played at least one NBA game.| Round | Pick | Player | Position | Nationality | School/Club Team |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 9 | Brad Sellers Brad Sellers Bradley Donn Sellers is a retired American professional basketball player. A 7'0" power forward/center from the University of Wisconsin and Ohio State University, he was selected by the Chicago Bulls in the first round of the 1986 NBA Draft.Sellers was a controversial selection among the Bulls'... |
F/C | Ohio State | |
| 2 | 28 | Larry Krystkowiak Larry Krystkowiak Larry Brett Krystkowiak is a retired American professional basketball player, and current head coach of the Utah Utes men's basketball team. His nicknames include Krysko and Special K... |
F | Montana | |
| 3 | 52 | Ricky Wilson Ricky Wilson (basketball) Ricky Wilson is a retired American professional basketball player.A 6'3" guard from George Mason University, Wilson was selected by the Chicago Bulls in the third round of the 1986 NBA Draft... |
G | George Mason George Mason University George Mason University is a public university based in unincorporated Fairfax County, Virginia, United States, south of and adjacent to the city of Fairfax. Additional campuses are located nearby in Arlington County, Prince William County, and Loudoun County... |
|
| 4 | 74 | Scott Meents Scott Meents Scott Eric Meents is a retired American professional basketball player who played in the NBA and the CBA.... |
F | Illinois University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign The University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign is a large public research-intensive university in the state of Illinois, United States. It is the flagship campus of the University of Illinois system... |
|
| 6 | 120 | Pete Myers Pete Myers Peter E. Myers is an American former professional basketball player and an assistant coach with the Golden State Warriors.-NBA career:Myers played in the NBA from 1986 to 1991 and also from 1994 to 1998... |
G | Arkansas--Little Rock University of Arkansas at Little Rock University of Arkansas at Little Rock , is a public research university located in Little Rock, Arkansas, United States, and the second largest university by enrollment in the state of Arkansas.... |
Roster
- 20 Gene Banks F-G
17 Mike Brown C-F
11 Fred Cofield G
22 Steve Colter G
40 Dave Corzine C
25 Earl Cureton F-C
30 Darren Daye F-G
23 Michael Jordan
Michael Jordan
Michael Jeffrey Jordan is a former American professional basketball player, active entrepreneur, and majority owner of the Charlotte Bobcats...
G-F
10 Pete Myers
Pete Myers
Peter E. Myers is an American former professional basketball player and an assistant coach with the Golden State Warriors.-NBA career:Myers played in the NBA from 1986 to 1991 and also from 1994 to 1998...
G-F
34 Charles Oakley
Charles Oakley
Charles Oakley is a retired American professional basketball player and is currently an assistant coach for the Charlotte Bobcats of the National Basketball Association...
F-C
5 John Paxson
John Paxson
John MacBeth Paxson is a retired American basketball player. He is currently the VP of Basketball Operations of the National Basketball Association's Chicago Bulls.-High school career:...
G
50 Ben Poquette F-C
6 Brad Sellers C-F
3 Sedale Threatt
Sedale Threatt
Sedale Eugene Threatt is a retired American basketball player in the NBA. He played college basketball at the West Virginia Institute of Technology from 1979 to 1983...
G
21 Elston Turner G-F
31 Granville Waiters
12-24 Perry Young
Regular season
With yet another new head coach, Doug CollinsDoug Collins
Paul Douglas "Doug" Collins is a retired American basketball player, a former four-time NBA All-Star and currently the head coach of the NBA's Philadelphia 76ers.-High school and college:...
, in for 1986-87, the Bulls improved to 40-42. Chicago qualified for the playoffs for the third straight season but was again eliminated by Boston in the first round.
The team's record was a secondary concern for most fans, who had their eyes riveted on team superstar Jordan. In late November and early December he went on a rampage, scoring 40 or more points in nine consecutive games. On February 26 he poured in 58 points against the New Jersey Nets
New Jersey Nets
The New Jersey Nets are a professional basketball team based in Newark, New Jersey. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association...
, including a record 26 of 27 free throws. On March 4 he hit for 61 points against Detroit. Just a month later, on April 16, he matched that performance with 61 against Atlanta. That season Jordan became the first NBA player to reach 3,000 points in a season since Wilt Chamberlain
Wilt Chamberlain
Wilton Norman "Wilt" Chamberlain was an American professional NBA basketball player for the Philadelphia/San Francisco Warriors, the Philadelphia 76ers and the Los Angeles Lakers; he also played for the Harlem Globetrotters prior to playing in the NBA...
did it in 1962-63.
Jordan led the league in scoring at 37.1 points per game, his career high for a season. He set Bulls single-season records for points (3,041), field goals (1,098), free throws (833), and steals (236). His output was rewarded with the first in a series of All-NBA First Team selections.
See also
- 1986-87 NBA season1986-87 NBA season-Statistics leaders:-Yearly awards:* Most Valuable Player: Magic Johnson, Los Angeles Lakers* Rookie of the Year: Chuck Person, Indiana Pacers* Defensive Player of the Year: Michael Cooper, Los Angeles Lakers...