Hinrich the light at end of Bulls' tunnel

Originally Published: December 8, 2004

By Brian James | ESPN Insider

In the windy city, the Chicago Bulls still are trying to find the winning formula since the six NBA championships of the 1990s.

Hinrich

Each plan to turn to team around has taken longer than expected. But there might be some bright days ahead thanks to the growth of Kirk Hinrich. In just his second season, Hinrich has learned how to be an everyday player in the NBA, even though he's been baptised by fire.

Many consider the All-American from Kansas, who led the Jayhawks to consecutive Final Four berths as a junior and senior, as the Bulls' best player. Judge for yourself when Hinrich and the Bulls play the 76ers Friday on ESPN (8 p.m. ET).

From Day 1, Hinrich has taken the Bulls by the horns and tried to implement the hard-nosed work ethic and tenacity that many old Bulls fans associate with Jerry Sloan, who starred for the franchise in the 1960s and '70s and is now the legendary Jazz head coach. Bulls Coach Scott Skiles has worked diligently with Hinrich before, during, and after practice on the nuances of learning the most important position on the floor.

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