Former Bulls Star Orlando Woolridge Dies At 52

By Benjy Lipsman in News on Jun 1, 2012 5:20PM

Former Bulls great Orlando Woolridge died on Thursday, at his parents' home in Louisiana. The former basketball player, who had been under hospice care for a chronic heart condition, was just 52 years old.

Woolridge joined the Bulls in 1981 after being drafted as the sixth overall selection, following a standout career at Notre Dame. A small forward, Woolridge led the Bulls in scoring the year before Michael Jordan arrived, and in MJ's first year the duo averaged over 50 points combined. But Woolridge's one-dimensional game didn't mesh with MJ's, and he was traded from the Bulls to the New Jersey Nets in 1986. Woolridge remained in the NBA until 1994, he had stints with the Lakers, Nuggets, Pistons, Bucks and 76ers before retiring. While substance abuse resulted in suspensions and impacted his career, he averaged 16 points and 4.3 rebounds per game. Following his retirement from the NBA, Woolridge continued to play overseas. He later coached in the WNBA, and ABA.