Dick Klein (basketball) - After The Bulls

After The Bulls

Klein orchestrated the sale of several oweners' shares of the team (including his own) to a new ownership group that included Chicago Blackhawks owner Arthur Wirtz in the summer of 1972. “In my opinion, with Wirtz at the steering wheel, the Bulls were in good hands,” he later said. The Bulls eventually became one of the NBA’s most profitable franchises, due in large part to the presence of Michael Jordan during the 1980s and 1990s. Many of Klein's personnel selections blossomed into long-term NBA successes, including Utah Jazz coach Jerry Sloan, and sports magnate Jerry Colangelo, who worked in Klein's front office in the Bull's early years. Klein's friendship with Colangelo and continued passion for the sport led him to serve as a Southeastern scout for the Phoenix Suns. He served in that capacity until shortly before his death in Greenville, South Carolina in 2000.