# List of Chicago Bulls seasons
The [Chicago Bulls](https://www.edgepedia.org/chicago-bulls) seasons are the annual records of the Chicago Bulls, a [National Basketball Association](https://www.edgepedia.org/national-basketball-association) (NBA) franchise based in Chicago, Illinois, that has played from the 1966-67 season, when it entered the league as an expansion team, through the present. Across its history the franchise has compiled a regular-season record of 2,453-2,391, a .506 winning percentage, with 36 playoff appearances and six championships.[1](https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/CHI/)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| First season | 1966-67; the Bulls joined the NBA when the league expanded from nine teams to ten, with Johnny "Red" Kerr as coach[2](https://encyclopedia.chicagohistory.org/pages/184.html) • [3](https://www.chicagohistory.org/chicago-bulls-first-three-peat/) |
| Debut record | 33-48 (.407), 4th in the Western Division; lost the Western Division semifinals 3-0 to St. Louis; Kerr named Coach of the Year[4](https://www.statmuse.com/nba/team/chicago-bulls-25/history) • [5](https://www.nba.com/news/history-season-review-1966-67) |
| All-time regular season | 2,453-2,391, .506 winning percentage[1](https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/CHI/) |
| Championships | Six: 1990-91, 1991-92, 1992-93, 1995-96, 1996-97, and 1997-98[6](https://hoopsnightly.com/teams/bulls/history) |
| Best season | 1995-96, 72-10 (.878), a then-record for regular-season wins, ending in an NBA title[4](https://www.statmuse.com/nba/team/chicago-bulls-25/history) • [7](https://apnews.com/article/de191c6b32e9835f479a965ef2f8373d) |
| Worst seasons | 13-37 in the lockout-shortened 1998-99, 17-65 in 1999-00, and 15-67 in 2000-01[4](https://www.statmuse.com/nba/team/chicago-bulls-25/history) |
| Streaks | Longest winning streak 18 games (ended February 2, 1996); longest losing streak 16[6](https://hoopsnightly.com/teams/bulls/history) |
| Home arenas | Chicago Amphitheater (1967), Chicago Stadium (1968-1994), United Center (1995-present)[8](https://rankings.citizenofnowhere.org/teams/nba/bulls) |
## Expansion and early years (1966-1984)
The Bulls were added as an expansion team in the 1966-67 season, when the NBA grew and the Baltimore Bullets moved to the East.[5](https://www.nba.com/news/history-season-review-1966-67) The franchise was not born until 1966, as an expansion team with Johnny "Red" Kerr as coach.[2](https://encyclopedia.chicagohistory.org/pages/184.html) The debut team went 33-48 and reached the playoffs, where St. Louis swept it in the Western Division semifinals.[4](https://www.statmuse.com/nba/team/chicago-bulls-25/history) • [5](https://www.nba.com/news/history-season-review-1966-67) Kerr was named Coach of the Year, and Bulls guard Guy Rodgers led the league in assists at 11.2 per game that season.[5](https://www.nba.com/news/history-season-review-1966-67)
The early 1970s brought the franchise's first sustained success: four 50-win seasons and a run to the conference finals in 1975, when a 47-35 team lost the Western Conference Finals.[3](https://www.chicagohistory.org/chicago-bulls-first-three-peat/) • [4](https://www.statmuse.com/nba/team/chicago-bulls-25/history) According to the NBA's own historical account, the franchise then struggled to be competitive for almost 25 years, and though managers occasionally cultivated strong teams in the mid-1970s, the Bulls mostly achieved unimpressive outcomes.[9](https://www.ideals.illinois.edu/items/112816/bitstreams/369759/data.pdf) The seasons from 1975-76 through 1983-84 included only one winning record, a 45-37 campaign in 1980-81 that ended in the Eastern Conference Semifinals.[4](https://www.statmuse.com/nba/team/chicago-bulls-25/history)
## The Jordan era and six championships (1984-1998)
Fortune changed with the drafting of [Michael Jordan](https://www.edgepedia.org/michael-jordan) in 1984, the dominant player of his era.[9](https://www.ideals.illinois.edu/items/112816/bitstreams/369759/data.pdf) In the 1987 draft the Bulls acquired forwards [Scottie Pippen](https://www.edgepedia.org/scottie-pippen) and [Horace Grant](https://www.edgepedia.org/horace-grant), traded for center Bill Cartwright the following year, and installed coach Phil Jackson; this group won three championships in a row from 1991 to 1993.[3](https://www.chicagohistory.org/chicago-bulls-first-three-peat/)
The championship seasons, with regular-season records, were:[4](https://www.statmuse.com/nba/team/chicago-bulls-25/history)
- **1990-91**: 61-21, first in the conference and division; won the [NBA Finals](https://www.edgepedia.org/nba-finals). The 61 wins were then a franchise record, and the Bulls swept Detroit in the conference finals before beating [Magic Johnson](https://www.edgepedia.org/magic-johnson)'s Lakers 4-1.[3](https://www.chicagohistory.org/chicago-bulls-first-three-peat/)
- **1991-92**: 67-15; won the NBA Finals.[4](https://www.statmuse.com/nba/team/chicago-bulls-25/history)
- **1992-93**: 57-25; won the NBA Finals, with [John Paxson](https://www.edgepedia.org/john-paxson)'s game-winning three-pointer in Game 6 against the Phoenix Suns on June 20, 1993 clinching the first three-peat by an NBA team since Boston won eight straight from 1959 to 1966.[3](https://www.chicagohistory.org/chicago-bulls-first-three-peat/)
- **1995-96**: 72-10; won the NBA Finals.[4](https://www.statmuse.com/nba/team/chicago-bulls-25/history)
- **1996-97**: 69-13; won the NBA Finals.[4](https://www.statmuse.com/nba/team/chicago-bulls-25/history)
- **1997-98**: 62-20; won the NBA Finals.[4](https://www.statmuse.com/nba/team/chicago-bulls-25/history)
After coming up short in back-to-back seasons against the [Detroit Pistons](https://www.edgepedia.org/detroit-pistons), the Bulls broke through in the 1991 NBA Finals by beating the Lakers in five games, then repeated in 1992 and 1993 for the NBA's first three-peat since Boston's run of 1959-66.[7](https://apnews.com/article/de191c6b32e9835f479a965ef2f8373d) Jordan left the NBA to play baseball, and the Bulls did not make it out of the Eastern Conference Semifinals in the following two seasons, going 55-27 in 1993-94 and 47-35 in 1994-95.[10](https://www.nba.com/news/chicago-bulls-nba-championships?ftag=YHF4eb9d17) • [4](https://www.statmuse.com/nba/team/chicago-bulls-25/history) With Jordan back, Chicago won a then-record 72 regular-season games on the way to the 1996 title and then won again the next two years before Jordan retired and the team broke up.[7](https://apnews.com/article/de191c6b32e9835f479a965ef2f8373d) The Bulls own two of the top three best single-season victory totals in NBA history, the 72-10 season of 1995-96 and the 69-13 season of 1996-97, the latter tied with the Lakers' 1971-72 season.[11](https://library.sfo2.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/publications/basketball/yearbooks/KCHIBMG-2024.pdf) All six championship teams were led by Jordan, Pippen, and Jackson, and the Bulls are the only NBA franchise to win multiple championships while never losing an NBA Finals series.[12](https://www.retroseasons.com/teams/chicago-bulls/history/overview/)
## Rebuilding and the Rose years (1998-2016)
With the 1998 departure of Jackson, Jordan, and others from the championship squad, the team started to rebuild.[2](https://encyclopedia.chicagohistory.org/pages/184.html) The first post-Jordan seasons were the worst in franchise history: 13-37 in the shortened 1998-99 season, 17-65 in 1999-00, and 15-67 in 2000-01, each finishing last in the conference.[4](https://www.statmuse.com/nba/team/chicago-bulls-25/history) Even in 1999, the first year without Jordan, when the Bulls finished 17-65, attendance continued to rank as the best in the league.[9](https://www.ideals.illinois.edu/items/112816/bitstreams/369759/data.pdf)
The Bulls' fortunes changed when they won the draft lottery and selected Chicago native point guard [Derrick Rose](https://www.edgepedia.org/derrick-rose) with the first pick in the 2008 draft.[9](https://www.ideals.illinois.edu/items/112816/bitstreams/369759/data.pdf) The early 2010s team, led by Rose and [Joakim Noah](https://www.edgepedia.org/joakim-noah), culminated in a 62-win season in 2010-11 that ended with a loss in the Eastern Conference Finals.[12](https://www.retroseasons.com/teams/chicago-bulls/history/overview/) • [4](https://www.statmuse.com/nba/team/chicago-bulls-25/history) The lockout-shortened 2011-12 season produced a 50-16 record, the best winning percentage (.758) of the post-Jordan era, but ended in a first-round playoff loss.[4](https://www.statmuse.com/nba/team/chicago-bulls-25/history) Chicago made the playoffs in five of six seasons from 2008-09 through 2013-14, then fell to .500 or below in most subsequent years.[4](https://www.statmuse.com/nba/team/chicago-bulls-25/history)
## Recent seasons (2016-17 to present)
From 2016-17 onward the Bulls returned to the lower half of the standings, with a 22-60 season in 2018-19 and a 22-43 finish in 2019-20.[4](https://www.statmuse.com/nba/team/chicago-bulls-25/history) The 2021-22 team went 46-36 and lost in the Eastern Conference First Round, its only playoff appearance of that stretch.[4](https://www.statmuse.com/nba/team/chicago-bulls-25/history) The Bulls have gotten to the playoffs only twice in the past 10 years.[13](https://www.theatlantic.com/culture/2026/04/jaden-ivey-cut-bulls/686713/)
The most recent completed season, 2025-26, ended at 31-51 (.378), 12th in the Eastern Conference, under coach [Billy Donovan](https://www.edgepedia.org/billy-donovan), with 116.3 points scored and 121.5 allowed per game and a net rating of -5.1.[14](https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/CHI/2026.html) The season still drew 829,997 fans at the [United Center](https://www.edgepedia.org/united-center), first among the league's 30 teams, and Chicago averaged 53.0 paint points per game, the highest single-season average in franchise history.[14](https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/CHI/2026.html) • [15](https://www.nba.com/gamenotes/bulls.pdf?tid=1736569615503) After the season, Donovan stepped down after six years with a 226-256 record and one playoff appearance, and the organization had earlier fired executives Artūras Karnišovas and Marc Eversley, leaving the Bulls in a rebuild centered on young talent such as [Matas Buzelis](https://www.edgepedia.org/matas-buzelis), Noa Essengue, and Anfernee Simons.[16](https://www.axios.com/local/chicago/2026/04/21/billy-donovan-steps-down-chicago-bulls-head-coach-rebuild-reinsdorf) For 2026-27, Basketball-Reference lists the Bulls with a 0-0 record and T. Splitter as coach.[1](https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/CHI/)
## Season-by-season records (selected)
| Season | W | L | Pct | Conference | Division | Postseason |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1966-67 | 33 | 48 | .407 | — | 4th | Lost Western Division Semifinals[4](https://www.statmuse.com/nba/team/chicago-bulls-25/history) |
| 1974-75 | 47 | 35 | .573 | 2nd | 1st | Lost Western Conference Finals[4](https://www.statmuse.com/nba/team/chicago-bulls-25/history) |
| 1990-91 | 61 | 21 | .744 | 1st | 1st | Won NBA Finals[4](https://www.statmuse.com/nba/team/chicago-bulls-25/history) |
| 1991-92 | 67 | 15 | .817 | 1st | 1st | Won NBA Finals[4](https://www.statmuse.com/nba/team/chicago-bulls-25/history) |
| 1992-93 | 57 | 25 | .695 | 2nd | 1st | Won NBA Finals[4](https://www.statmuse.com/nba/team/chicago-bulls-25/history) |
| 1995-96 | 72 | 10 | .878 | 1st | 1st | Won NBA Finals[4](https://www.statmuse.com/nba/team/chicago-bulls-25/history) |
| 1996-97 | 69 | 13 | .841 | 1st | 1st | Won NBA Finals[4](https://www.statmuse.com/nba/team/chicago-bulls-25/history) |
| 1997-98 | 62 | 20 | .756 | 1st | 1st | Won NBA Finals[4](https://www.statmuse.com/nba/team/chicago-bulls-25/history) |
| 1998-99 | 13 | 37 | .260 | 15th | 8th | —[4](https://www.statmuse.com/nba/team/chicago-bulls-25/history) |
| 2000-01 | 15 | 67 | .183 | 15th | 8th | —[4](https://www.statmuse.com/nba/team/chicago-bulls-25/history) |
| 2010-11 | 62 | 20 | .756 | 1st | 1st | Lost Eastern Conference Finals[4](https://www.statmuse.com/nba/team/chicago-bulls-25/history) |
| 2021-22 | 46 | 36 | .561 | 6th | 2nd | Lost Eastern Conference First Round[4](https://www.statmuse.com/nba/team/chicago-bulls-25/history) |
| 2024-25 | 39 | 43 | .476 | 9th | 5th | —[4](https://www.statmuse.com/nba/team/chicago-bulls-25/history) |
| 2025-26 | 31 | 51 | .378 | 12th | 4th | —[4](https://www.statmuse.com/nba/team/chicago-bulls-25/history) |
## Franchise totals
Basketball-[Reference](https://www.edgepedia.org/reference) counts 61 seasons for the franchise, from 1966-67 through 2026-27, with a 2,453-2,391 record, 36 playoff appearances, and six championships.[1](https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/CHI/) StatMuse, counting through 2025-26, lists 60 completed seasons, a 2,453-2,391 regular-season record (.506), a 187-162 (.536) playoff record, six championships, and six conference titles.[4](https://www.statmuse.com/nba/team/chicago-bulls-25/history) The franchise's all-time scoring, rebounding, and assists leader in each category is Michael Jordan, with 29,277 points, 5,836 rebounds, and 5,012 assists.[4](https://www.statmuse.com/nba/team/chicago-bulls-25/history)
## References
1. [Chicago Bulls Historical Statistics and All-Time Top Leaders, Basketball-Reference](https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/CHI/)
2. [Bulls, Encyclopedia of Chicago](https://encyclopedia.chicagohistory.org/pages/184.html)
3. [The Chicago Bulls' First Three-Peat, Chicago History Museum](https://www.chicagohistory.org/chicago-bulls-first-three-peat/)
4. [Chicago Bulls Team History, StatMuse](https://www.statmuse.com/nba/team/chicago-bulls-25/history)
5. [Season Review: 1966-67, NBA.com](https://www.nba.com/news/history-season-review-1966-67)
6. [Bulls history: every season since 1966, titles, records, Bulls Nightly](https://hoopsnightly.com/teams/bulls/history)
7. [Chiefs look to join the Shaq-Kobe Lakers, Yankees and Michael Jordan with a rare three-peat, AP News](https://apnews.com/article/de191c6b32e9835f479a965ef2f8373d)
8. [Chicago Bulls, Citizen of Nowhere rankings](https://rankings.citizenofnowhere.org/teams/nba/bulls)
9. [Chicago Bulls franchise history study, University of Illinois Ideals repository](https://www.ideals.illinois.edu/items/112816/bitstreams/369759/data.pdf)
10. [Chicago Bulls' NBA championships, NBA.com](https://www.nba.com/news/chicago-bulls-nba-championships?ftag=YHF4eb9d17)
11. [Chicago Bulls Media Guide (2024)](https://library.sfo2.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/publications/basketball/yearbooks/KCHIBMG-2024.pdf)
12. [Chicago Bulls Franchise Overview, RetroSeasons](https://www.retroseasons.com/teams/chicago-bulls/history/overview/)
13. [The NBA Isn't the Same for Everyone, The Atlantic](https://www.theatlantic.com/culture/2026/04/jaden-ivey-cut-bulls/686713/)
14. [2025-26 Chicago Bulls Roster and Stats, Basketball-Reference](https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/CHI/2026.html)
15. [Chicago Bulls Season in Review, NBA.com](https://www.nba.com/gamenotes/bulls.pdf?tid=1736569615503)
16. [Billy Donovan steps down as Chicago Bulls head coach after six seasons, Axios Chicago](https://www.axios.com/local/chicago/2026/04/21/billy-donovan-steps-down-chicago-bulls-head-coach-rebuild-reinsdorf)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Sports, games, and recreation › Other team and ball sports › Basketball and court team sports › NBA and WNBA (North American professional basketball) › NBA and WNBA seasons, champions, and records*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 19, 2026; Sep 30, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Edited: Sep 19, 2026; Sep 30, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Last review: Oct 21, 2026*
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