A Look at the Chicago Bulls 2009.......Bernie Bickerstaff

This will be Bernie Bickerstaff’s second season as an assist coach for the Chicago Bulls. Last year the Bulls had two veteran assist coaches on the staff in Del Harris and Bernie Bickerstaff. This past off season Del Harris retired so Bernie Bickerstaff will be the most experienced assistant coach so I assume he will be the lead assist like we used to have under Scott Skiles with Jim Boylan.

Last season Vinny Del Negro made it clear he has to learn a lot about coach. You could see Bernie Bickerstaff and Del Harris in the middles of huddles and them taking players aside after plays during games. This season without Del Harris it will be up to Bernie Bickerstaff and his 30 years of NBA experience to help lead the team. Bickerstaff has done it all in his 30 years in the NBA. Before he joined the Bulls in 2008 he was the Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations for the Charlotte Bobcats and served as Head Coach & General Manager of the Bobcats from 2004 to 2007. Before his three year stint with the Charlotte Bobcatse he served 10 seasons as an NBA head coach for three different teams in Seattle, Denver, and Washington. While at Denver he was also president and general manager for seven seasons. He also spent 12 years as an assistant coach. In 1987 he won NBA Coach of the Year with the Seattle Supersonics. He has an NBA coaching record of 415-517 which is a .445 winning percentage. He ranks 33rd on the league’s all-time victories list. I am glad we have him on the coaching staff.