Through the years, the Chicago Bulls have fielded plenty of competitive teams. They haven’t won a championship since Michael Jordan skipped town, but one iteration of the team did make it back to the Eastern Conference finals: the Derrick Rose-led Bulls. In the 2010-11 season, Rose and his Bulls made it to the conference finals before losing to the Miami Heat.
Not long after, Jimmy Butler joined the party, and while they were making their playoff runs, a whole generation of hoopers were watching. And that includes some players who went on to play for the Bulls. One of those guys was Max Strus.
During an appearance on NBC Sports Chicago’s Football Night in Chicago, Strus spoke about how he grew up watching Rose and Butler while living in Hickory Hills, Illinois.
“When I was a kid growing up in Chicago, him and Derrick Rose were my favorite players to watch,” Strus said. “To be able to be on his team and share this journey of his career has been nothing short of astonishing. Just so happy to be here and so happy to help him.”
"Growing up in Chicago, Jimmy Butler and Derrick Rose were my favorite players watching"
Max Strus joined NBC Sports Chicago to discuss how much it means to be a part of Jimmy Butler's journey to the Finals 🏀 pic.twitter.com/T9HvxUHxsO
— Bulls Talk (@NBCSBulls) May 30, 2023
Strus spent time on the Bulls during the 2019-20 season on a two-way deal before suffering from a torn ACL. He moved on from Chicago after recovering and was scooped up by the Heat. Now, he’s thriving.
The 27-year-old wing is one of the crucial pieces on a Miami team that’s in the NBA Finals. He grew up watching the Bulls, played for the Bulls, and now he’s teammates with Butler.
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