Next to the Celtics and Lakers this team is next in the number of NBA championships, and it’s not the San Antonio Spurs; it’s the Chicago Bulls. The Bulls became the NBA’s first expansion team when they joined the NBA in 1966, the difference between an expansion team and the other teams is that the expansion teams fill out their roster from available players on the other NBA teams. prior to this any team which joined the NBA either already had their roster filled out since they joined from another league, or they signed players to play for them as in the case of the Zyphers. The Bulls used the first ever expansion pick on Jerry Sloan, who was taken from the Baltimore Bullets.

Sloan would become the teams first star. Sloan was never much of an offensive threat, as his career high in points per game was 18 in 1971. Sloan’s biggest asset to the team was his defense, was a four time all-first team defensive player including being on the first ever all defensive team.

Besides being the first expansion team, the Bulls are also the first and only NBA expansion team to make the playoffs. The Bulls did so in the 1967 playoffs, but would end up losing to the Hawks in three games. The Bulls would make the playoffs their second year, despite having a losing record for the second straight season. The Bulls would miss the playoffs their third year, but would return in 1970 but lose again to the Hawks.