The 2002âÂÂ03 Chicago Bulls season was the 37th season for the Chicago Bulls in the National Basketball Association. The Bulls received the second overall pick in the 2002 NBA draft, and selected point guard Jay Williams out of Duke University. During the off-season, the team signed free agents Donyell Marshall, and former Bulls forward Corie Blount.
With the addition of Williams and Marshall, the Bulls got off to a 4âÂÂ6 start to the regular season, but then posted a 9-game losing streak between November and December. However, the team won six of their next eight games, and later on held a 17âÂÂ32 record at the All-Star break. The Bulls posted an 8-game losing streak between January and February, but won four of their final six games of the season, finishing in sixth place in the Central Division with a 30âÂÂ52 record, and missing the NBA playoffs for the fifth consecutive year. The team posted a 27âÂÂ14 home record at the United Center, but struggled posting a franchise worst road record at 3âÂÂ38 during the regular season.
Jalen Rose averaged 22.1 points and 4.8 assists per game, and led the Bulls with 133 three-point field goals, while Marshall averaged 13.4 points and 9.0 rebounds per game, and Marcus Fizer provided the team with 11.7 points and 5.7 rebounds per game. In addition, Jamal Crawford contributed 10.7 points and 4.2 assists per game, while second-year center Eddy Curry provided with 10.5 points and 4.4 rebounds per game, and Williams contributed 9.5 points and 4.7 assists per game, and was named to the NBA All-Rookie Second Team. Meanwhile, second-year center Tyson Chandler averaged 9.2 points, 6.9 rebounds and 1.4 blocks per game, Eddie Robinson contributed 5.7 points per game, second-round draft pick Lonny Baxter provided with 4.8 points and 3.0 rebounds per game, second-year guard Trenton Hassell contributed 4.2 points per game, and Blount averaged 3.0 points and 4.1 rebounds per game.
During the NBA All-Star weekend at the Philips Arena in Atlanta, Georgia, Williams and Chandler were both selected for the NBA Rookie Challenge Game, as Williams was a member of the Rookies team, while Chandler was a member of the Sophomores team. The Bulls finished fifth in the NBA in home-game attendance, with an attendance of 804,309 at the United Center during the regular season.
Following the season, Williams suffered a career-ending motorcycle accident after only one season with the Bulls, while Hassell and Fred Hoiberg both signed as free agents with the Minnesota Timberwolves. (See 2002âÂÂ03 Chicago Bulls season#Regular season)
The Bulls entered the 2002-03 NBA season with an eager sense of anticipation on what the prior yearâÂÂs moves would become.
Jalen Rose was expected to have a big year in his first full season with the club. The addition of Jay Williams, selected by the Bulls with the second overall pick in 2002 NBA draft, was expected to provide the team with an extra scoring punch. Plus, the teamâÂÂs two young big men, Tyson Chandler and Eddy Curry, each had a year of pro experience.
General Manager Jerry Krause had what many considered at the time to be a very successful offseason. Besides Williams, the Bulls also added Roger Mason, Jr. and Lonny Baxter via the draft. Veteran forward Donyell MarshallâÂÂsigned with the teamâÂÂs mid-level exceptionâÂÂbrought size and versatility to the team, and the shape of a solid squad was beginning to form.
In the end, though, having Rose, Marshall and an abundance of talented youth did not equate to winning games. After starting the season 2âÂÂ0 for the first time since the 1996âÂÂ97 campaign, Chicago garnered a franchise-worst 3âÂÂ38 road record. The Bulls held a 19âÂÂgame road losing streak from 11/02/02âÂÂ01/18/03 and the teamâÂÂs 30âÂÂ52 record qualified it for a fifthâÂÂconsecutive NBA Draft Lottery appearance.
The franchise was ready to head in a new direction and the beginning of that movement started with the resignation of longâÂÂtime executive Jerry Krause on April 7. Krause, then 64, played a major role in building Bulls World Championship teams and was a twoâÂÂtime NBA Executive of the Year.
âÂÂJerry Krause is one of a kind,â Bulls Chairman Jerry Reinsdorf stated. âÂÂHe brought with him a vision of how to build a champion and he proceeded to create one of the most dominant champions of all time. No basketball fan in America can begin to imagine the World Champion Chicago Bulls without his imprint.âÂÂ
One week later, the Bulls named John Paxson EVP of Basketball Operations. Paxson had spent the previous seven seasons as a color analyst on both the Bulls Radio and TV networks, providing expert analysis to the broadcasts. He spent one season (1995âÂÂ96) as Assistant Coach, helping the Bulls to a then NBA-record 72âÂÂ10 record and the 1996 NBA Finals.
âÂÂI am really excited to accept this challenge and look forward to working with the basketball operations staff,â said Paxson. âÂÂThe Bulls organization has meant a lot to me over the years, and getting the chance to help lead the team back to the upper echelon of the NBA is a true honor.âÂÂ
Other Notes: Jay Williams authored his first career tripleâÂÂdouble, recording season highs of 26 points, 14 rebounds and 13 assists in 45 minutes versus New Jersey (11/9) ... Marcus Fizer suffered a torn ACL at Portland on 01/31/03 and was forced to miss the final 36 games of the season ... Chicago appeared in a franchise-record nine overtime games (1âÂÂ8).
Honors: Tyson Chandler (sophomore team) participated in the Schick Rookie Challenge at All-Star Weekend ... Jay Williams was named the NBAâÂÂs âÂÂgot milk?â Rookie of the Month for December ... Williams (freshman team) also participated in the Schick Rookie Challenge at All-Star Weekend and was named to the got milk? NBA AllâÂÂRookie Second Team ... Eddy Curry led the league in field goal percentage with .585 shooting from the floor ... the Bulls drew an average of 19,617 fans through 41 home games (fifth in the NBA in attendance) and had 20 home crowds of 20,000+ (14âÂÂ6 record), including 12 sellouts.
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