Taj Gibson

The 6’9″ rookie forward from USC shows continued improvement on the defensive side of the ball—it’s nice for the Bulls to have a big man who’s strong on D, no?—and now with Tyrus out for a while with an injury, he’ll only be getting more minutes on the court. Even Gibson himself seems to have the right attitude, as he was recently quoted as saying “I’m a gym rat. I have coaches that have been around the league for many years, so I just watch a lot of film. Come in here late nights and just work on my game. It’s a blessing to be playing for the Chicago Bulls, and I’m taking it in stride.”

Audience choice:
Taj Gibson

Best of Chicago 2009

Tremendousupsidepotential.com

Not only is the blog’s name perfect, the writing here is more of an unconventional look at sports, written, as the site boasts, “with the focus of Tyrus Thomas and the vocabulary of Ozzie Guillen.” Recent blog posts feature pop-cultural shout-outs to The Postal Service, Jay-Z and Vin Diesel. Sports and humor should always be linked.

Audience choice:
southsidesox.com

Best of Chicago 2009

Tyrus Thomas

The Bulls forward not only offered quick, fresh legs off the bench during his rookie season, he was also a high-powered adrenaline injection, pulsing to the basket at every opportunity, slamming it home with confidence and poise. Get the ball to Tyrus was a constant thought on Bulls fans minds, especially nearing the end of last season’s campaign. Averaging a mere 5.2 points per game, Thomas was a difference-maker, and this season he should offer more of the same.

Readers Choice
Joakim Noah, Ben Wallace (tie)

Best of Chicago 2007