Most basketball fans in the 1990’s probably thought it was unfair that the Chicago Bulls had both the best player and the best coach of all-time at the same time. But then, karma happens; hence, the Tim Floyd era.
These are the Best & Worst Bulls Coaches in History
The Best…
Phil Jackson (1989-99)
Sure, it’s fun to imagine that even a homeless man could’ve led a Chicago Bulls team with Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen to all those titles, but the facts are clear: when Phil Jackson came to Chicago in 1989, Michael Jordan and the Bulls had zero NBA championships; when he left nine years later, he had created a dynasty: 6 NBA Championships (1991-93; 1996-98) with a .738 winning percentage. No one can dispute those numbers, much like no one can dispute the Zen Master’s title as the greatest Chicago Bulls coach of all-time.
Tom Thibodeau (2010-present)
It may be a tad premature to declare someone as one of the franchise’s greatest coaches after just three full seasons, but Tom Thibodeau’s .683 winning percentage is second only to Phil Jackson. In his first two seasons, he led the Bulls to the no. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference and in his only full postseason with Derrick Rose in 2010-11, they reached the Conference Finals.
Doug Collins (1986-89)
Who knows what would’ve happened had Doug Collins been given more time in Chicago. Maybe Michael Jordan leads the Bulls to all those titles even without the Triangle offense and Collins is along for the ride. Regardless, Collins’ achievements during his tenure with the Bulls (.557 winning percentage, 3 straight playoff berths, a trip to the Conference Finals) merit his inclusion as one of the greatest Bulls coaches.
The Worst…
Tim Floyd (1998-2001)
No one expected Tim Floyd to make the Bulls title contenders again after the Jordan/Pippen/Jackson exodus in 1999. But no one also expected a tenure as historically bad as the Tim Floyd era. Floyd finished an overall record of 49-190, a horrendous .205 winning percentage. Admittedly, it’s highly unlikely that even Phil Jackson could’ve done any better with such a horrendous roster, but Floyd must still live with the fact that he coached the Chicago Bulls through the darkest period of its history.
Bill Cartwright (2001-03)
Much like Floyd, his successor Bill Cartwright also endured the hardships of rebuilding. The former Bull was put in charge of mentoring their two teenage big men, Eddy Curry and Tyson Chandler, but they didn’t pan out in Chicago, much like their head coach.
Paul Westhead (1982-83)
Famous for leading Loyola Marymount to the NCAA Championship with his patented up-tempo offense, Paul Westhead had a less memorable season with the Chicago Bulls prior to his college success. Chicago was two years away from the arrival of Michael Jordan; as such, the lowly Bulls sunk to a 28-54 record under Westhead.
