3 Chicago natives who’ve played for the Chicago Bulls
The Chicago Bulls recently signed veteran Patrick Beverley for the remainder of the season. He more than likely chose the Bulls over other teams because he grew up in Chicago, probably rooting for his hometown team like most kids in the area do.
With the Bulls, Beverley is now a teammate of fellow Chicago native Ayo Dosunmu. Those two, of course, aren't the only players from the Windy City who've sported the red, black and white over the years.
We've also seen guys like Darrell Walker, Randy Brown, Kendall Gill and even Dwyane Wade do the same.
Here are three other Chicago area natives who once played for the Bulls:
Craig Hodges
Craig Hodges was raised in Park Forest, Illinois—a southern suburb of Chicago— and attended Rich East High School.
As an NBA player, Hodges had stints with the San Diego (now Los Angeles) Clippers, Milwaukee Bucks and Phoenix Suns before spending the last few seasons of his career in Chicago.
(1991) Craig Hodges hits 19 threes in a row during the 3-Point Contest https://t.co/gDibLKw1uj
The sharp-shooting reserve guard won championships in both 1991 and 1992 with the Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen-led Bulls. He also won the NBA All-Star Three-Point contest twice during his tenure with the team.
Eddy Curry
Born in Harvey, Illinois, Eddy Curry played high school ball at Thornwood, which is located in suburban South Holland.
Young Bulls: Tyson Chandler & Eddy Curry (2001) https://t.co/gtInFKMtvC
The seven-footer later decided to skip college and was selected fourth overall by the Bulls in the 2001 NBA Draft. He was immediately paired with fellow fresh-out-of-high school big man Tyson Chandler, whom the Bulls traded Elton Brand for on draft night.
Curry played four seasons with the Bulls before being dealt to the New York Knicks prior to the 2005-06 season.
Derrick Rose
You can't have a "Chicago Natives" article without mentioning Derrick Rose. It just wouldn't be right.
The explosive point guard grew up in Englewood, a neighborhood on the South Side of Chicago. He starred at Simeon Career Academy, a high school that also produced NBA players like Nick Anderson and Jabari Parker.
Rose was selected by the Bulls with the first overall pick in the 2008 NBA Draft. The former Memphis Tiger went on to win Rookie of the Year and during the 2010-11 season, he became the youngest player to ever win MVP.
Sadly, Rose tore his ACL in the 2012 Playoffs, which was the first of several season-ending injuries. Yet, Prime D-Rose was one of the most exciting players we've ever seen.