Top 5 historical shot blockers for the Chicago Bulls

The Chicago Bulls have an impressive playoff history, having made a total of 36 appearances in franchise history. They have clinched an impressive six championships, with the iconic Michael Jordan playing a pivotal role in leading the team to victory in each of those historic wins.

Here are their franchise leaders in total blocks.

1. Artis Gilmore, 1,029 Blocks

Gilmore played in both the ABA and the NBA. He began his tenure with the Bulls in the 1976-77 season, averaging 18.6 points, 13.0 rebounds and 2.5 blocks per game. In his first six seasons with the Bulls, Gilmore played in 82 games five times. In 482 career games with the Bulls, Gilmore averaged 2.1 blocks.

2. Michael Jordan, 828 Blocks

The Bulls selected Jordan with the third pick in the 1984 Draft, a move that would propel their franchise to new heights. He won the Rookie of the Year Award, made 12 All-Star teams and was named MVP of the league five times with the franchise.

He also won the Defensive Player of the Year Award for the 1987-88 season. Jordan was not only an excellent scorer. He led the league in steals three times and had two seasons in which he averaged at least 1.5 blocks. He averaged 0.9 blocks for his career with the Bulls.

3. Joakim Noah, 803 Blocks

Noah could dominate a game with his defense and rebounding. He won the 2013-14 Defensive Player of the Year Award and finished fourth in the MVP voting that season. The season prior, he averaged a career-high 2.1 blocks per game.

With his all-out style of play, Noah often dealt with injuries. During his nine seasons with the team, he played in 70 games or more only three times. In his final season with the team, he appeared in just 29 games. His rookie season was the only time he failed to average at least 1.0 blocks per game. Across 572 career games for the Bulls, Noah averaged 1.4 blocks.

4. Scottie Pippen, 774 Blocks

Pippen and Jordan formed one of the most successful duos in league history. Pippen was named either first or second All-Team Defense eight times with the Bulls. He was mainly selected because of his ability to rack up steals. Pippen averaged at least 2.0 steals in a season five times with the Bulls.

Like Jordan, he won six championships during his tenure with the franchise. While he never won an MVP award, he did finish inside the top-10 in voting for the award five times. Across 856 career games with the Bulls, Pippen averaged 0.9 blocks.

5. Taj Gibson, 695 Blocks

The Bulls selected Gibson with the 26th pick in the 2009 draft. He began his career by averaging at least 1.3 blocks in five straight seasons. In 562 games with the Bulls, Gibson averaged 1.2 blocks. Gibson is still playing in the NBA and has played for seven different teams.