Where Are They Now? the 2001 Chicago Bulls

Rosters change in the NBA all the time, and it doesn't take very many seasons for a team to completely recycle. In a recent Finals matchup, we saw a rematch of two teams that met just five years ago and vied against each other for the championship. On each team, only two players remained from the 2006 rosters (Jason Terry/Dirk Nowitzki; Dwyane Wade/Udonis Haslem).

That kind of turnover is the norm in the NBA. Players come and players go. As a fan, what you hope for is that players will peak in their career with your team then fade away somewhere else. Sometimes though, players will develop to their full potential only after they leave your town and your team.

That's why, as a Bulls fan, I'm drawn back often to thinking about the roster of the Bulls in 2000-2001. Though the team was disappointing at the time and not winning games, the scouts clearly knew what they were doing. This team that won only 15 games had players who would go on to be Defensive Player of the Year, Sixth Man of the Year, and would collectively rack up 5 All-Star appearances in the next few years.

Sadly for Bulls fans, all those accolades came when these players donned new jerseys. If you look back at the roster now, you won't remember most of the players listed, which is probably why the team didn't manage many wins, but there are a few names that stand out:

Brad Miller - Two Time All-Star

The first player to make good after leaving Chicago after the 2000-2001 season was center Brad Miller. He went to Indiana and immediately made the All-Star team.

Ron Artest - One Time All-Star, Defensive Player of the Year

Also going to Indiana, Ron Artest left the Bulls and became an All-Star. A long time before his championship run with the Lakers, Artest gained recognition for his defensive play, winning the Defensive Player of the Year award in 2003-2004.

Elton Brand - Two Time All-Star

Elton Brand has only made the All-Star team once, which may be hard to believe if you judge by the numbers he put up in LA with the Clippers in the mid-2000s. When did he make the All-Star team? The year after he left Chicago - 2001-2002 - just like Brad Miller.

Jamal Crawford - Sixth Man of the Year

Though Crawford's accolades took longer to arrive than his fellow former-Bulls, Jamal Crawford has been recognized around the league as a dangerous clutch performer and capable scorer off the bench. In 2009-2010, Crawford won the Sixth Man of the Year award in Atlanta.

It's like the team that never was - These guys were young when they were on the Bulls, for the most part. In 2000-2001, Brad Miller was the elder statesman in the crew listed here with two just years experience.

I'm glad that Brand, Miller, Artest and Crawford went on to success in their careers. I just wish they would have shared some of it with the Bulls.

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Sources:

Basketball Reference

YahooSports