The 1966–67 Chicago Bulls season was the first season of the franchise in the National Basketball Association (NBA).
See main article: article and 1966 NBA draft. Note: This is not an extensive list; it only covers the first and second rounds, and any other players drafted by the franchise that played at least one NBA game.
| Round | Pick | Player | Position | Nationality | School/Club Team |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 10 | Dave Schellhase | G | Purdue | |
| 2 | 20 | Erwin Mueller | F/C | San Francisco | |
The brand-new Chicago Bulls franchise earned its first victory on October 15, 1966, with a 104–97 win over the St. Louis Hawks. The team's coach was Johnny "Red" Kerr, a former player with the Syracuse Nationals, the Philadelphia 76ers, and the Baltimore Bullets. He is one of a select group of players to surpass the 10,000 mark in both rebounds and points, and he held the league record for consecutive games played with 844 until Randy Smith eclipsed his mark during the 1982–83 season.
Chicago's starting lineup on opening night included Len Chappell, Bob Boozer, Don Kojis, Jerry Sloan, and Guy Rodgers. In the team's victorious debut against St. Louis, Rodgers poured in a game-high 37 points. Three days later the Bulls ran their record to 2–0 by defeating the San Francisco Warriors, 119-116. Then, behind 34 points and 18 assists from Rodgers, Chicago upped its winning streak to three games with a 134–124 triumph over the defending Western Division champion Los Angeles Lakers.
Chicago finished with a 33–48 record, the best ever by an expansion team in its first year of play. The Bulls secured a playoff berth in the Western Division, but the Hawks eliminated them in the opening round. Kerr was named NBA Coach of the Year, and center Erwin Mueller made the NBA All-Rookie Team. Rodgers led the NBA in assists with 11.2 per game (including a club-record 24 against the New York Knicks on December 21) and also topped the team in scoring at 18.0 points per game. Rodgers and Sloan represented the new franchise in the 1967 NBA All-Star Game.
| 1966–67 NBA records | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| width=100 | Team | BAL | BOS | CHI | CIN | DET | LAL | NYK | PHI | SFW | STL |
| — | 1–8 | 3–6 | 3–6 | 2–7 | 2–7 | 2–7 | 1–8 | 2–7 | 4–5 | ||
| 8–1 | — | 8–1 | 8–1 | 6–3 | 5–4 | 9–0 | 5–4 | 6–3 | 5–4 | ||
| Chicago | 6–3 | 1–8 | — | 5–4 | 4–5 | 6–3 | 3–6 | 1–8 | 3–6 | 4–5 | |
| 6–3 | 1–8 | 4–5 | — | 7–2 | 3–6 | 6–3 | 1–8 | 5–4 | 6–3 | ||
| 7–2 | 3–6 | 5–4 | 2–7 | — | 5–4 | 4–5 | 0–9 | 2–7 | 2–7 | ||
| 7–2 | 4–5 | 3–6 | 6–3 | 4–5 | — | 4–5 | 1–8 | 3–6 | 4–5 | ||
| 7–2 | 0–9 | 6–3 | 3–6 | 5–4 | 5–4 | — | 1–8 | 5–4 | 4–5 | ||
| 8–1 | 4–5 | 8–1 | 8–1 | 9–0 | 8–1 | 8–1 | — | 7–2 | 8–1 | ||
| 7–2 | 3–6 | 6–3 | 4–5 | 7–2 | 6–3 | 4–5 | 2–7 | — | 5–4 | ||
| 5–4 | 4–5 | 5–4 | 3–6 | 7–2 | 5–4 | 5–4 | 1–8 | 4–5 | — | ||
| 1966–67 game log | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Date | Opponent | Score | High points | Record | ||
| 1 | October 15 | 104–97 | Guy Rodgers (36) | 1–0 | ||
| 2 | October 18 | 116–119 | Jerry Sloan (26) | 2–0 | ||
| 3 | October 19 | 124–134 | Guy Rodgers (34) | 3–0 | ||
| 4 | October 20 | N San Francisco | 121–111 | Guy Rodgers (26) | 3–1 | |
| 5 | October 21 | @ Los Angeles | 108–101 | Keith Erickson (20) | 4–1 | |
| 6 | October 23 | 124–105 | Bob Boozer (20) | 4–2 | ||
| 7 | October 27 | 100–123 | Jerry Sloan (25) | 4–3 | ||
| 8 | October 28 | 129–117 | Bob Boozer (31) | 4–4 | ||
| 9 | November 1 | San Francisco | 137–121 | Erwin Mueller (31) | 4–5 | |
| 10 | November 2 | 94–102 | Erwin Mueller (26) | 5–5 | ||
| 11 | November 3 | N Boston | 108–137 | Guy Rodgers (16) | 5–6 | |
| 12 | November 5 | 113–99 | Jerry Sloan (22) | 6–6 | ||
| 13 | November 6 | St. Louis | 102–134 | Keith Erickson (22) | 7–6 | |
| 14 | November 8 | Boston | 112–101 | Jerry Sloan (21) | 7–7 | |
| 15 | November 9 | New York | 103–98 | Guy Rodgers (36) | 7–8 | |
| 16 | November 11 | 113–126 | Bob Boozer (22) | 7–9 | ||
| 17 | November 13 | Philadelphia | 132–126 | Guy Rodgers (35) | 7–10 | |
| 18 | November 15 | @ St. Louis | 99–107 | Bob Boozer (18) | 7–11 | |
| 19 | November 17 | @ Baltimore | 102–120 | Guy Rodgers (24) | 7–12 | |
| 20 | November 18 | N Philadelphia | 145–120 | Barry Clemens (16) | 7–13 | |
| 21 | November 19 | @ New York | 104–116 | Bob Boozer (19) | 7–14 | |
| 22 | November 23 | @ Los Angeles | 130–154 | Guy Rodgers (25) | 7–15 | |
| 23 | November 25 | @ Los Angeles | 121–117 | Bob Boozer (17) | 8–15 | |
| 24 | November 26 | @ San Francisco | 129–131 | Don Kojis (24) | 8–16 | |
| 25 | November 29 | N San Francisco | 108–101 | Bob Boozer (19) | 8–17 | |
| 26 | December 3 | @ Detroit | 98–104 | Bob Boozer (29) | 8–18 | |
| 27 | December 6 | @ Philadelphia | 119–129 | Keith Erickson (28) | 8–19 | |
| 28 | December 7 | Philadelphia | 117–103 | Jim Washington (20) | 8–20 | |
| 29 | December 8 | N Baltimore | 132–120 | Bob Boozer (30) | 9–20 | |
| 30 | December 10 | @ Boston | 110–125 | Jerry Sloan (25) | 9–21 | |
| 31 | December 13 | N Baltimore | 94–122 | Jerry Sloan (30) | 9–22 | |
| 32 | December 14 | N Detroit | 87–93 | Jerry Sloan (17) | 10–22 | |
| 33 | December 16 | N Cincinnati | 120–128 | Jerry Sloan (30) | 11–22 | |
| 34 | December 17 | @ Baltimore | 110–106 | Jerry Sloan (27) | 12–22 | |
| 35 | December 19 | N St. Louis | 97–102 | Jerry Sloan (24) | 13–22 | |
| 36 | December 21 | New York | 107–110 | Boozer, Kojis (22) | 14–22 | |
| 37 | December 23 | Detroit | 103–102 | Guy Rodgers (27) | 14–23 | |
| 38 | December 25 | @ New York | 132–133 | Bob Boozer (40) | 14–24 | |
| 39 | December 26 | Baltimore | 96–108 | Guy Rodgers (34) | 15–24 | |
| 40 | December 30 | Boston | 110–106 | Bob Boozer (26) | 15–25 | |
| 41 | January 3 | Cincinnati | 111–116 | Guy Rodgers (39) | 16–25 | |
| 42 | January 4 | @ Philadelphia | 115–136 | Boozer, Mueller (20) | 16–26 | |
| 43 | January 6 | @ Detroit | 135–126 | Guy Rodgers (30) | 17–26 | |
| 44 | January 7 | @ Cincinnati | 112–125 | Erwin Mueller (25) | 17–27 | |
| 45 | January 8 | Philadelphia | 117–108 | Erwin Mueller (26) | 17–28 | |
| 46 | January 11 | Cincinnati | 106–102 | Jerry Sloan (28) | 17–29 | |
| 47 | January 13 | @ Boston | 102–122 | Bob Boozer (19) | 17–30 | |
| 48 | January 14 | Los Angeles | 121–122 | Guy Rodgers (39) | 18–30 | |
| 49 | January 15 | New York | 116–131 | Bob Boozer (33) | 19–30 | |
| 50 | January 17 | Boston | 109–101 | Jerry Sloan (28) | 19–31 | |
| 51 | January 18 | N San Francisco | 107–111 | Jim Washington (19) | 20–31 | |
| 52 | January 19 | N Philadelphia | 127–102 | Don Kojis (17) | 20–32 | |
| 53 | January 20 | Detroit | 124–125 (OT) | Bob Boozer (27) | 21–32 | |
| 54 | January 22 | Baltimore | 114–118 | Bob Boozer (26) | 22–32 | |
| 55 | January 24 | Detroit | 108–95 | Guy Rodgers (21) | 22–33 | |
| 56 | January 25 | St. Louis | 103–102 | Boozer, Sloan (18) | 22–34 | |
| 57 | January 29 | Los Angeles | 142–122 | Bob Boozer (29) | 22–35 | |
| 58 | February 3 | Cincinnati | 113–118 | Don Kojis (23) | 23–35 | |
| 59 | February 4 | @ St. Louis | 111–119 | Jerry Sloan (18) | 23–36 | |
| 60 | February 5 | San Francisco | 142–141 (OT) | Bob Boozer (32) | 23–37 | |
| 61 | February 7 | Detroit | 98–90 | McCoy McLemore (23) | 23–38 | |
| 62 | February 8 | N New York | 106–103 | Boozer, Sloan (25) | 23–39 | |
| 63 | February 10 | N New York | 122–121 | Jim Washington (21) | 23–40 | |
| 64 | February 11 | St. Louis | 104–98 | Jerry Sloan (24) | 23–41 | |
| 65 | February 12 | @ Los Angeles | 121–129 | Don Kojis (42) | 23–42 | |
| 66 | February 16 | N San Francisco | 125–124 | Bob Boozer (22) | 23–43 | |
| 67 | February 19 | @ Los Angeles | 133–119 | Jerry Sloan (31) | 24–43 | |
| 68 | February 22 | N New York | 103–117 | Bob Boozer (23) | 25–43 | |
| 69 | February 26 | @ Baltimore | 106–124 | Don Kojis (18) | 25–44 | |
| 70 | March 1 | N Philadelphia | 122–129 | Jerry Sloan (22) | 26–44 | |
| 71 | March 2 | N Boston | 108–114 | Bob Boozer (20) | 26–45 | |
| 72 | March 4 | @ St. Louis | 125–122 | Boozer, Mueller (20) | 27–45 | |
| 73 | March 5 | Cincinnati | 106–113 | Guy Rodgers (29) | 28–45 | |
| 74 | March 7 | Boston | 114–117 | Guy Rodgers (22) | 29–45 | |
| 75 | March 10 | Baltimore | 115–132 | Don Kojis (22) | 30–45 | |
| 76 | March 11 | @ Cincinnati | 119–147 | Guy Rodgers (16) | 30–46 | |
| 77 | March 13 | Cincinnati | 133–117 | Bob Boozer (29) | 30–47 | |
| 78 | March 14 | St. Louis | 111–98 | Jerry Sloan (30) | 30–48 | |
| 79 | March 15 | @ Detroit | 98–91 | Jerry Sloan (32) | 31–48 | |
| 80 | March 17 | San Francisco | 117–120 | Erwin Mueller (27) | 32–48 | |
| 81 | March 19 | Los Angeles | 109–122 | Bob Boozer (24) | 33–48 |
|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 1| March 21| @ St. Louis| L 100–114| Kojis, Boozer (18)| Bob Boozer (13)| Rodgers, Clemens (2)| Kiel Auditorium
4,704| 0–1|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 2| March 23| St. Louis| L 107–113| Bob Boozer (25)| Kojis, Boozer (11)| Guy Rodgers (11)| International Amphitheatre
3,739| 0–2|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 3| March 25| @ St. Louis| L 106–119| McCoy McLemore (18)| Bob Boozer (11)| Guy Rodgers (5)| Kiel Auditorium
7,018| 0–3|-