Legendary Bulls Assistant Johnny Bach Dies at 91

Bach, who served as a head coach at both the collegiate and NBA level, was the architect of the Bulls’ defense during their first three NBA championships

Johnny Bach, a long-time coach who was an assistant for the Chicago Bulls during their first three NBA championships in the early 1990’s, passed away on Monday at the age of 91, the team said in a statement. 

Bach, who served as a head coach at both the collegiate and NBA level, was the architect of the Bulls’ defense during those championships as the team won three in a row from 1991 to 1993. After those championships, Bach did move on to other assistant jobs, but he returned to the Bulls in 2003 before retiring after the 2005-06 season.

"Johnny was a true treasure in the world of basketball," John Paxson, executive vice president of basketball operations, said in a statement. "He was the classic 'old school' coach who came to work each and every day with energy and enthusiasm for the game he loved. His zest for life and basketball were unparalleled. He will be greatly missed by everyone in the Bulls family as well as everyone he connected with during his long tenure in both college and professional basketball."

Bach played for the Boston Celtics during a brief NBA career, but he found his niche in the coaching ranks. He served as head coach at Fordham University and Penn State University before graduating to the professional ranks in the 1980’s, where he coached the Golden State Warriors.

It was during his time with the Bulls that he cemented his legacy.

With Tex Winter handling the team’s“triangle offense,” Bach pioneered the team’s vicious approach to defense, dubbed the “Doberman” defense. That tenacious style helped lead the Bulls past their hated rivals in 1991 as they finally beat the Detroit Pistons in the Eastern Conference Finals, and that success ultimately led them to three consecutive championships.

“He encouraged me, worked with me and really helped me to mold my game,” Michael Jordan told the Chicago Tribune on Monday. “Without him, I don’t know that we would’ve won our first three championships. He was more than a coach to me. He was a great friend.”

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