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New Chicago Bulls executive Bryson Graham's introductory press conference showcased his openness and humility, signaling a shift in the team's culture. His approach contrasts sharply with that of his predecessor, indicating a new era for the Bulls.
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(Josh Boland/Chicago Tribune/TNS)
CHICAGO â When he finished his introductory news conference Wednesday at the Advocate Center, new Chicago Bulls executive Bryson Graham walked off the podium and ventured into the media seating section.
He proceeded to introduce himself to the writers, TV and radio reporters, cameramen, podcasters and anyone else in the room. Whether he would remember everyoneâs name by the end of the day was irrelevant. Iâm not convinced his predecessor ever made eye contact with anyone in the media, much less took the time to shake their hands.
That was the first real sign that times are changing on the West Side. It was almost like the scene in âThe Wizard of Ozâ when the black-and-white film turns into technicolor. Weâre not in Kansas anymore.
Graham even admitted he cried when Bulls President and CEO Michael Reinsdorf told him Sunday that he got the job as executive vice president of basketball operations, culminating a journey from the bottom of the New Orleans front-office food chain to the top of an iconic NBA franchise.
âHeâs not a crier,â his wife, Tiffany, told me afterward. âSo that was really beautiful to see because when he does cry, itâs a big deal for him to share that with anybody. But everything people are saying about him, it is who he is. Itâs not fluff, not just making him look good. And itâs always been who he is.â
The 39-year-old Graham has big shoes to fill â but they didnât belong to ArtĆ«ras KarniĆĄovas, the man he replaced, who had no people skills and survived much longer than he deserved. No, the relevant shoes belonged to one Michael Jordan, who showed Chicago and the world what sheer excellence looked like in the 1990s, then left the franchise on its own and rarely returns to the place he helped build.
Since Jordanâs departure in 1998, the Bulls havenât come remotely close to that kind of success, and performing cultural bypass surgery on the current roster without acquiring a superstar only will make Grahamâs task more imposing.
Graham introduced himself by saying he grew up a Bulls fan in San Antonio, thanks to Air Jordan and the dynasty, explaining that it fueled his drive to succeed.
Bryson Graham is the new executive for the Chicago Bulls, responsible for leading the team's rebuilding efforts.
Bryson Graham's openness and willingness to engage with the media suggest a more approachable and transparent culture for the Bulls.
Unlike his predecessor, Graham actively introduced himself to media members, indicating a significant shift towards engagement and humility.
Graham's introduction represents a hopeful new era for the Bulls, emphasizing a focus on rebuilding and improved communication.
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âWhen I think about it, and the championships that have been won here, itâs amazing,â he said. âIt impacted my life more than I thought I knew because I was always chasing what this organization represented. You see MJ, and obviously I wanted to be him just like everybody. But it carried over into every aspect of my life: my work ethic, my determination, my grit.
âWatching the Bulls and what they displayed, thatâs what I wanted. ⊠That grit started from watching this, and I want to bring that back. Thereâs a kid out there just like me that can be inspired by this organization and keep climbing, and thatâs what weâre going to do â pull our sleeves up and get to work and weâre going to get out (of) the mud.â
Reinsdorf wouldnât use a metaphor as perfect as being in âthe mud,â but he did concede the Bulls need âto be relevant again.â He issued an apology to fans, saying he needed âto say Iâm sorryâ for the poor showings of the last few years.
âItâs not something Iâm proud of, and itâs something I want to get right,â he said. âUltimately it flows up to me, and I take responsibility. I do feel today is a step in the right direction.â
It did feel like a new era, and there was even some applause from the back of the room at the start of the news conference, which normally is not condoned at media gatherings.
But the guy leading the applause was Bulls forward Matas Buzelis, who was working out and watching along with teammate Tre Jones.
âMatas, was that for me?â Reinsdorf asked facetiously.
I later tried to explain the âno cheering in the press boxâ edict to Buzelis, but he was having none of it.
âIâve got to introduce the new guy and (say) congratulations!â he said.
So what does this hiring mean for the Bulls?
âIt means great things are coming,â Buzelis said before bouncing off like a pinball machine on tilt.
Bulls Chairman Jerry Reinsdorf wasnât in the building, making this Michaelâs production. It was another step in the right direction, and hopefully Michael remains as open and available as he has been the last month. Bulls fans deserve to hear what ownership is thinking, even if Jerry remains a Sphinx with the White Sox.
Michael said he wanted someone with strong communication skills, and Graham seemed to ace that test, being honest about the state of the team, the long process ahead and the need to rebuild with the right kind of players. He used the acronym SLAP: size, length, athleticism and physicality.
Graham also said they would emphasize defense, which has been the calling card of the greatest Bulls teams since the 1960s and of their most popular players, from Norm Van Lier and Jerry Sloan to Jordan and Scottie Pippen to Alex Caruso. Graham said he and Reinsdorf talked âabout the importance of defense and establishing an identity on that side of the floor.â
âEspecially when youâre a younger team and you have younger players,â he continued. âWhen you compete on the defensive end, your team typically plays harder, and youâre starting to see a lot of it in the playoffs. We obviously want two-way players, but I want guys with SLAP ⊠and that physicality is going to be felt on the defensive side of the ball.â
Of course, itâs easy to say these things at your first news conference and much more difficult to implement change in a time frame that wonât test the patience of Bulls fans, who have endured mediocrity or worse for most of this century.
âThoughtful, disciplined, measured, intentional, communicates with clarity and conviction and elite talent evaluatorâ were among the traits Reinsdorf pointed to when he made the decision.
âBryson gets it,â he said. âAnd part of his success is that people trust him. They know that heâs genuine, they know that heâs prepared and they know he is a thoughtful person. ⊠Heâs a âlisten-firstâ person.â
Reinsdorf said Graham having started as an intern in New Orleans, cleaning up the practice area, was an indication he would take no shortcuts. Graham said he keeps a photo on his phone of him unloading boxes on his first day of work, reminding him âwho I amâ and what it takes to pursue your dreams.
Heâs at the top now but knows it will take the same work ethic to succeed. Tiffany said he wonât sleep until the job is done. She met Bryson in middle school in San Antonio, and they started dating after he finished college at Texas A&M. Theyâve been married for 12 years and have three young children.
âHeâs going to connect with you guys for sure,â Tiffany said. âOur family is a connector of people. We believe in relationships, we believe in healthy relationships. We believe in healthy families and a healthy culture. My family, his and mine, we have a really large family and we all grew up together. My brother was best friends with his brother, my mom was good friends with his mom. It was just meant to be.â
Bryson was a video coordinator in New Orleans when the two started getting serious, and they married four years later. Did she know back then he would be running a franchise one day?
âNot this,â she said with a laugh. âNot the Bulls. I always believed he could run a team. Iâve always believed in him, and Iâve prayed many, many, many years for this opportunity to come about. We both knew he just needed an opportunity for the door to open.
âIn a position like this, you are worried about the first-timers, but everybody is a first-timer at some point. He just needed a shot. He does not like to disappoint, and he wants to make other people look good. Heâs very humble in that way, and itâs true what he said (at the news conference) that this is a collaboration.
âIf he wins, everybody is winning with him. Itâs not just his name in the pot.â
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