New Chicago Bulls VP of Basketball Operations Bryson Graham couldn’t hide his smile after the NBA draft lottery on Sunday. Originally holding the 9th overall pick in the 1st round, the draw tilted in Chicago’s favor, and they ended up with the 4th overall pick. This will be the highest draft slot the team has held since 2020. Presuming the Bulls stay put, it will also be the seventh time they utilize the 4th pick to select a player for their roster. Graham stated that the team got lucky with this outcome.
He is correct, at least in one sense. In another, the young executive now faces a situation that has derailed past Bulls executives. Though the team has held the 4th pick six previous times, they have yet to select a single All-Star.
Chicago Bulls: No. 4 Pick History
Historical selections made by the Bulls at the fourth overall slot.
| Year | Player | Quick Note |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Patrick Williams | First draft pick under Artūras Karnišovas. |
| 2006 | Tyrus Thomas | Acquired via draft-night trade for LaMarcus Aldridge. |
| 2001 | Eddy Curry | Drafted straight out of high school. |
| 2000 | Marcus Fizer | Iowa State standout who played 4 seasons in Chicago. |
| 1980 | Kelvin Ransey | Traded immediately to Portland for Gene Banks. |
| 1968 | Tom Boerwinkle | Holds Bulls record for 37 rebounds in a single game. |
Boerwinkle was a solid contributor on those good 1970s teams. Curry had loads of potential but never quite reached it in Chicago or New York. Thomas will forever be remembered as the guy the Bulls traded LaMarcus Aldridge for. Fizer and Williams were busts. That pick has not been fruitful ground for this franchise.
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Bryson Graham already understands the pitfalls of picks that high.
He was with the New Orleans Pelicans for over a decade as a scouting and front office executive. He was there in 2016 when they selected Buddy Hield 6th overall, passing on another young guard named Jamal Murray in the process. On the flip side, he helped them land the very good Dyson Daniels in 2022. It was clear that he and the organization learned some vital lessons during that period. A big one was focusing more on size and length at each position. Daniels had it. Hield did not. That helps explain Graham’s SLAP philosophy.
- Size
- Length
- Athleticism
- Physicality
Those are the four cornerstones he’s looking for in every prospect. The good news is he has a great chance to get a player who meets those requirements, be it Duke forward Cameron Boozer or North Carolina forward Caleb Wilson. The big question, or fear, is whether Graham will overthink it. Young executives sometimes show their immaturity in their first draft by trying to outsmart the league by taking a guy nobody expects. This is what happened with Arturas Karnisovas six years ago with Williams.
Graham has had some excellent teachers.
Tim Connelly, the architect of the 2023 champion Denver Nuggets and current contender Minnesota Timberwolves, worked with him for years in New Orleans. The same is true with Trajan Langdon, who has turned the Detroit Pistons back into an Eastern Conference threat for the first time in over a decade. One must also not forget David Griffin, who rebuilt the Cleveland Cavaliers into the eventual 2016 NBA champions. Bryson Graham has rubbed shoulders with some of the best.
He doesn’t sound like somebody overwhelmed by the job he’s been given. There is self-confidence in his words, but also enough humility to recognize that he must lean on others in the organization to help him make the right decision. Karnisovas didn’t do that. Overcoming the curse of the 4th overall pick should be about focusing on what you know rather than what you’re hoping for. If your reports all say a certain player will be good in the NBA? Take him. If the reports say a certain player might be great if the light bulb goes on? Stay away.
Don’t be afraid to do the boring thing. This is a lesson the Bulls have forgotten too often over the years.
