Sports · 3

Which former Bulls player, traded away before the 1991 championship run, was notably absent from Chicago's title celebration?

Answer

Charles Oakley

Charles Oakley was traded to the New York Knicks in 1988 in the deal that brought Bill Cartwright to Chicago. Many observers felt Oakley, Jordan's closest friend on the early Bulls, never received proper credit for his role in building the championship culture.

💡 Did you know?

Michael Jordan reportedly wept when Oakley was traded in 1988 — the two remained close friends and Jordan has publicly credited Oakley as essential to his early development.

Other options people guess

  • Dave Corzine
  • Orlando Woolridge
  • Brad Sellers

Topics

  • nba
  • 1990s
  • chicago-bulls
  • basketball
  • trades

Know your sports trivia?

Play a free Sports quiz and see how many you get right — no signup needed to start.

More Sports facts

Sports

In which year did Michael Jordan win his first NBA Championship with the Chicago Bulls?

Jordan wept openly in the locker room after winning his first title — he had endured six playoff eliminations before finally breaking through.

Sports

What was the Bulls' record in the 1991 NBA Playoffs as they won Michael Jordan's first championship?

The Bulls' 1991 playoff run featured wins over four different opponents — the Knicks, Bucks, Pistons, and Lakers — without any series going past five games except the Finals.

Sports

Who was Scottie Pippen's primary defensive assignment during the 1991 NBA Finals against the Los Angeles Lakers?

Magic Johnson said after the 1991 Finals that Pippen was the toughest defender he ever faced — high praise from a 5-time champion who had seen everything.

Sports

Which national team did the 20-to-1 underdog US Olympic hockey squad upset in the 1980 'Miracle on Ice' game?

The 1980 US Olympic hockey team, 20-to-1 underdogs, defeated the Soviet Union despite trailing 3-2 late in the game, then beat Finland to win gold.

Sports

Which city hosted the Olympic Games identified in cost-overrun studies as the most expensive in Olympic history, following its pandemic-delayed 2021 Games?

Tokyo spent more on the 2020 Olympics than any host nation in history, yet Japan's aging population means many new venues now struggle to find regular users.

Sports

What physiological cause forces marathon runners to suddenly slow down when they 'hit the wall'?

Marathon runners experience 'hitting the wall' around mile 20 because glycogen depletion forces muscles to switch energy sources suddenly.