The new lead decision-maker of the Chicago Bulls understands the weight of the organization and its history, and Bryson Graham welcomes both the pressure and the expectations that come with the franchise.
Chicago fans seem to be excited about the hiring of Bulls executive vice president of basketball operations Bryson Graham, but likely no one is more thrilled than Graham himself.
CEO and team president Michael Reinsdorf appeared to buck the trend of hiring from the "Bulls family" with Graham, who had no known connections to the Chicago franchise. The San Antonio, Texas, native played collegiately for Texas A&M before rising through the New Orleans Pelicans' scouting ranks. Graham spent last season as the lead executive of the Atlanta Hawks and was largely viewed as a surprise hire due to his lack of ties to the Reinsdorfs and the Bulls front office.
However, Graham was emotional when he sat in front of the microphone on Wednesday afternoon. The job won't be his first opportunity to run an NBA franchise, but it will give him something the Pelicans or Hawks never could: the ability to work for his favorite childhood team.
"It's amazing for me, because I grew up, obviously, a Bulls fan," Graham said at his introductory press conference. "If you played basketball in the 90s, 85% of the kids, 90% of the kids... I don't care where you're from. I grew up in San Antonio. Yeah, I've got some love for the Spurs, I ain't gonna lie, but it did not supplant what the Bulls meant to me."
Graham — who stands 6-foot-3 — played guard for the Aggies and grew up wanting to be like Michael Jordan. The Bulls legend not only shaped Graham's basketball aspirations, but also his work ethic, determination and grit.
When Reinsdorf called Graham to let him know that he'd gotten the job on Monday, the new Chicago executive broke down, crying. The Bulls organization was responsible for inspiring him to set off in search of a future in basketball, and now, Graham gets to shape the franchise that gave him so much.
It's an era-defining offseason in Chicago, which is prepared to fully enter a rebuild. Graham grew up during the glory days of Bulls basketball — which featured six championships in eight years — and wants to restore the franchise to what it once was. Armed with four draft picks and a boatload of cap space, he has the resources to set the team on the right path, as well as the commitment to leave a lasting impact.
"That grit started from watching [the Bulls], and I want to bring that back," Graham said. "There's a kid out there that's just like me and can be inspired by this organization and keep climbing, and that's what we're going to do. We're going to pull our sleeves up, we're going to get to work and we're going to get out the mud."