Artis Gilmore takes three of the top five spots in Bulls’ history for single season blocks per game.
The Bulls have been home to some of the great defenders in NBA history like Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, and Joakim Noah. But can any of those three lay claim to having the best blocks-per-game seasons in Bulls history? Read on to find out.
Note that blocks became an official stat in the 1973-74 season.
Artis Gilmore – 1982, 2.7 BPG
Gilmore is the Bulls’ all-time leader in blocks (1,029) and, unsurprisingly, is a frequent flyer on this list. He topped out at 2.7 blocks per game in the 1982 season at age 32. Gilmore finished in the top five in blocks per game across the league that season and earned one of his six NBA All-Star nods. The A-Train is 28th in blocks all-time in the NBA and when counting his work from the ABA, he ranks fourth all-time across the two associations.
Jawann Oldham – 1986, 2.6 BPG
Oldham spent four years with the Bulls and his calling card was on the defensive end. The seven-footer swatted 2.6 blocks per game in 1986 season, tying him for fifth in the association. That season proved to be Oldham’s best all-around season as he made 47 starts and averaged 7.4 points and 5.9 rebounds per game to go with his strong shot-blocking output.
Artis Gilmore – 1977, 2.5 BPG
1977 marked Gilmore’s first season in the NBA after beginning his career with the ABA’s Kentucky Colonels, where he dominated for five seasons. He made a smooth transition to the NBA with the Bulls, swatting 2.5 shots per game while also pouring in 18.6 points and pulling down 13.0 rebounds per game. Though Gilmore missed out on an All-Star nod that year, he still finished 10th in MVP voting.
Nate Thurmond – 1975, 2.4 BPG
Nate the Great joined forces with the Bulls in 1975 after a standout run with the Warriors over 11 seasons. He showed little signs of slowing down in Chicago, especially on the defensive end. He went on to finish third in the league in blocks per game behind only Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Elmore Smith. Thurmond also pulled down 11.3 rebounds per game.
Artis Gilmore – 1981, 2.4 BPG
Rounding out the list is a familiar face in Gilmore, who actually owns four of the top six shot-blocking seasons in franchise history. In 1981, Gilmore was in the midst of his fourth All-Star season with the Bulls. He averaged 17.9 points and 10.1 rebounds per game to go with the impressive 2.4 blocks per game. His BPG output ranked fifth in the league that season.
