John Paxson
From Hoopedia
In four seasons as Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations, John Paxson has rebuilt the department, from the player roster to the staff, leading to a successful present and exciting future … named Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations on April 14, 2003 … Paxson has been a part of the organization as a player, coach, broadcaster or front office executive since 1985 … Paxson is the sixth individual to head basketball operations in the history of the Chicago Bulls, joining Dick Klein (1966-69), Pat Williams (1969-73), Dick Motta (1973-76), Rod Thorn (1978-85) and Jerry Krause (1985-2003).
Paxson has positively implemented change upon the Bulls roster, coaching staff and basketball operations department, leading to the franchise's first playoff appearance since 1998 in 2004-05 and again in 2005-06 … tabbed Scott Skiles to serve as the team's head coach on Nov. 28, 2003, starting the team on its path back to the postseason … in 2004-05, the Bulls won 47 games (a 24-game improvement from the previous season) with 13 Paxson player acquisitions leading the way … in overseeing three NBA Drafts (the Bulls were without a pick in 2005), Paxson has selected three NBA First-Team All-Rookie selections … in 2003, with his first draft pick, he selected Kansas guard Kirk Hinrich with the seventh selection … Hinrich was selected to the All-Rookie First Team … in 2004, at the helm for his second draft, Paxson selected Connecticut guard Ben Gordon third overall and traded for the draft rights to Duke forward Luol Deng, selected seventh overall … in Gordon's rookie season he was named NBA Sixth Man of the Year … Deng joined Gordon on the NBA All-Rookie First Team … also active on the free agent front, Paxson signed Spanish League star Andres Nocioni prior to the 2004-05 season and watched the Argentina native significantly bolster the Bulls' frontline … Paxson has also proven an adept player in the free agent market, signing four-time All-Star and four-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year Ben Wallace in the summer of 2006.
John spent seven seasons as a color analyst on both the Bulls' radio and television networks, providing expert analysis to Bulls' broadcasts … spent one season (1995-96) as an assistant coach, helping the Bulls to a 72-10 record and the 1996 NBA World Championship.
Paxson spent nine of his 11 NBA seasons as a player with Chicago, helping the Bulls to three consecutive (1991, 1992, 1993) NBA World Championships … for his career, he averaged 7.2 points, 3.6 assists and 1.2 rebounds in 772 games, including 369 starting assignments, shooting .499 from the floor, .355 from three-point range and .804 from the free-throw line … enjoyed a career-year for the Bulls in 1986-87, averaging a career-high 11.3 ppg (third on the team) to accompany a team-leading 5.7 apg, shooting .487 from the floor, .371 from three-point range (with a career-high 52 three-point field goals) and .809 from the free-throw line … shot a career-high .548, finishing 10th in the NBA, en route to
averaging 8.7 ppg and 3.6 apg in helping the Bulls to a then-franchise record 61 victories in 1990-91 …
shot a sizzling .650 from the floor in the Bulls' first NBA Finals appearance and capped the experience with a memorable 20-point performance on a spotless 8-of-8 from the floor in the title-clinching game five, including 10 points in the final 3:54 of the contest … Paxson was responsible for one of the most memorable shots in NBA history in the 1993 NBA Finals, sinking a game- and series-winning three-pointer with 3.9 seconds remaining to defeat the Phoenix Suns in Phoenix, giving the Bulls their third straight NBA World Championship.
NBA career began after being selected by the San Antonio Spurs in the first round (19th overall) of the 1983 NBA Draft … became a Bull after signing as a free agent on Oct. 30, 1985.
A 1983 graduate of the University of Notre Dame … played four seasons at Notre Dame and was a two time first-team All-American during his tenure … the Fighting Irish award the John Paxson Three-Point Shooting Award each season to their top three-point shooter … still ranks among Notre Dame all-time leading scorers and averaged 12.2 ppg, shooting .526 from the floor for his four-year career … as a senior, Paxson captained the Irish to a 19-10 record and averaged a career-high 17.7 ppg, shooting .533 from the floor.
John's father Jim, played two NBA seasons in the 1950's (1956-58) … John and his wife, Carolyn, reside in Lake Bluff, Ill., and have two sons, Ryan and Drew.
