CHICAGO — Bryson Graham isn't afraid to admit that this is a dream come true. When the new top basketball executive for the Chicago Bulls received the job offer over the phone from President and CEO Michael Reinsdorf, Graham broke down in tears.
It wasn't out of surprise. Graham couldn't be shocked by a moment he'd worked so hard and planned so long to reach. But as a kid who grew up idolizing Michael Jordan in the '90s, Graham felt this moment meant something more — to himself, to his family, and to basketball as a whole.
In his introductory news conference Wednesday at the Advocate Center, Graham joked that starting out as a top executive is like becoming a first-time parent. But he also voiced confidence in his ability to provide a clear vision and stout leadership as the Bulls attempt to reinvent themselves after years of mediocrity.
"We're going to pull our sleeves up and we're going to get to work and we're going to get out the mud," Graham said.
Graham has yet to turn 40 but already has 16 years of NBA front-office experience. He started as an operations intern with the New Orleans Pelicans (then Hornets) in 2010. Over the next 15 years, he climbed every rung of the ladder — from video coordinator to player development liaison to, eventually, assistant general manager. The Atlanta Hawks hired him as their senior vice president of basketball operations in 2025, marking his arrival as a top NBA executive.
For fans, Graham might seem like an unknown. He doesn't have his own Wikipedia entry and spent only one season in the spotlight with the Hawks. But behind the scenes, Graham is far from anonymous. Executives throughout the league have held him in high regard for years. According to a source, the Pelicans blocked him from interviewing for other jobs seven times before he finally slipped away during a front-office restructure. His hire in Atlanta was hailed as a savvy move, and the Bulls' decision to snatch him up after just one year with the Hawks is seen as equally shrewd.
Graham's journey is a testament to persistence and passion — qualities that Bulls fans hope will translate into a brighter future for a franchise ready to rise from the mud and rebuild.