The legendary 1995-96 Chicago Bulls team: Where are they now?
Glossed over amidst the six banners earned by the Chicago Bulls is the fact that the team employees and owners didn't really have a warm and fuzzy relationship. There is a stark contrast between the mutual respect and reverence between players and the organisation like the San Antonio Spurs and the Bulls. For whatever reason, over competitive spirit or plain old mean-spiritedness
The 1995-96 Chicago Bulls were one of the most influential teams of all time. In an era where teams rode big men like Shaquille O’Neial, Hakeem Olajuwon, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Karl Malone and Patrick Ewing who were dominant on offence, the Bulls tore teams apart with their tenacious defence. One could say that they laid the foundation for the small ball revolution which is currently taking the league by storm.
It is a misconception that the Bulls won solely because of Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, and Dennis Rodman. No Big 3 alone has been good enough to win a title, let alone multiple. The 95-96 Bulls team left an indelible mark on history by being the only team to win 72 games and the title in the same season. And today, that team has been flung in disparate directions as they pursue interesting careers after retirement.
Here's a look at where the main members of the 1995-96 Chicago Bulls are now:
#1 Michael Jordan
Those who watched Michael Jordan compete and destroy competition and teammates alike throughout his career openly wondered how he would be able to shut his competitive instincts after retirement. By all accounts, he was uber-competitive even in his sleep, and his post-playing career would undoubtedly be torture for him.
One of the wisest and most profound moves by Michael Jordan after retiring has been to find a way to keep exerting his competitive spirit by becoming the principal owner of the Charlotte Hornets. They have grown from bottom feeders to a respectable playoff team. Who knew that having a 50-year-old man beat you one on one would do wonders for your game?
Of playing against his Hornets’ players, Jordan has said, “I’m pretty sure I can (defeat them), so I don’t want to do that and demolish their confidence. So I stay away from them,”
His Airness also owns one of the most successful shoe lines, and even if he never works another day in his life, he will continue to rake in millions of dollars. Another aspect of his post-playing career has been defending his reputation as the owner of the Hornets and the sanctity of his career from those who would seek to lionise current stars over him.
For instance, Jordan and Charles Barkley have seen their relationship sour after the latter called out the contrast in Jordan's success in his playing career and managing career.
Back when the Dream Team was being formed, one of the conditions Jordan laid out for participating was that he would be able to go and play Golf whenever he wanted. He would go play 18 holes and show no trace of fatigue as he took to the court and destroyed the opponents.
He's continued to participate in charity golf tournaments in his retirement. He's also created a professional motorcycle road racing team named Michael Jordan Motorsports, as he enjoys riding superbikes himself.