NBA.com: B.J. Armstrong Bio

Benjamin Roy Armstrong Jr. (called B.J. for Benjamin Jr.) earned three championship rings with the Chicago Bulls in the early 1990s. A superior three-point shooter with good quickness and passing skills, he was an NBA All-Star in 1994 and the first overall pick of the 1995 Expansion Draft, going to the Toronto Raptors. He quickly was traded to Golden State for two players and the rights to three more, and spent 2 seasons with the Warriors before playing for Charlotte and Orlando and finally rejoining Chicago Bulls as a veteran free agent prior to the 1999-2000 season. He spent most of that season on the injured list, and when it was over he announced his retirement and accepted a position in the Bulls' front office. Armstrong played college ball at Iowa, where as a senior he averaged 18.6 points and led the Big Ten Conference in assists (5.4 apg). The Bulls then nabbed him with the 18th overall pick in the 1989 NBA Draft. In his first three seasons in Chicago, Armstrong shared the Bulls' point guard duties with John Paxson. As a rookie, Armstrong averaged 5.6 points. He upped that to 8.8 points per contest in his second year, then inched within a hair of 10 points per game during 1991-92. The Bulls won NBA titles in 1990-91 and 1991-92, but Armstrong took a back seat to Paxson in the postseason and saw limited action. In 1992-93 Armstrong emerged from Paxson's shadow. During that season he logged more than 30 minutes per game, and his scoring average reached double figures (12.3 ppg) for the first time in his career. He also claimed the NBA's three-point field goal percentage crown with a mark of .453 on 63-for-139. After having played fewer than 20 minutes per game in the postseason in each of the two previous years, he logged 33.8 minutes of action per contest during the 1993 playoffs as the Bulls took their third consecutive league title. When Michael Jordan retired temporarily before the 1993-94 season, Armstrong shouldered more of the scoring burden for the Bulls, averaging 14.8 points. He was voted a starter in the 1994 NBA All-Star Game and finished second in the NBA in three-point field goal percentage at .444. He put up similar numbers in 1994-95 but was left unprotected to expansion because of Jordan's return and the emergence of Toni Kukoc. The first player chosen in the 1995 NBA Expansion Draft, Armstrong was selected by the Toronto Raptors but traded to the Golden State Warriors for forwards Victor Alexander and Carlos Rogers and the rights to Dwayne Whitfield, Martin Lewis and Michael McDonald on Sept. 18, 1995. In his first season with the Warriors he appeared in all 82 games, his sixth consecutive complete season, bringing his consecutive games played total to 528, third-longest in the NBA. He made 64 starts and averaged 12.3 points and a career-high 4.9 assists per game. He ranked fourth in the NBA in three-point percentage (.473) and 20th in free throw percentage (.839). In 1996-97 he played in 49 games, starting 17, before a knee injury sidelined him for the final two months of the season. That snapped his consecutive games played streak at 577, and he averaged only 7.9 ppg, the first time in five years he failed to reach double figures. One week into the 1997-98 season he was dealt to the Charlotte Hornets for guards Muggsy Bogues and Tony Delk. He appeared in 66 games, all in a reserve role, including 62 for the Hornets, and his scoring average dipped to 4.0 ppg. He began the 1998-99 season with Charlotte but was on March 10, 1999 was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers along with Glen Rice and J.R. Reid for Eddie Jones and Elden Campbell. He was immediately waived by the Lakers, and on March 14 he was signed for the remainder of the season by the Orlando Magic. He played in a total of 32 games, 10 for Charlotte and 22 for Orlando, and averaged a career-low 3.3 ppg in 11.2 mpg. He signed as a free agent with the Chicago Bulls on August 30, 1999, rejoining the club with which he won three NBA titles. But he spent most of the 1999-2000 season on the injured list, playing in just 27 games and averaging 7.4 ppg. He retired at the end of his 11th pro season and stepped into Chicago's front office as a special assistant to Vice President of Basketball Operations Jerry Krause.

1999-2000 REGULAR SEASON
Placed on the injured list on 3/29 with left knee tendinitis Recorded 22 points in a 91-77 loss to Detroit on 12/29 Posted 21 points and 7 assists in a 103-91 loss to Indiana on 12/27

1998-1999 REGULAR SEASON
Waived by the Lakers on 3/10 and signed as a free agent by the Orlando Magic on 3/14 Traded by the Hornets with Glen Rice and J.R. Reid to the Los Angeles Lakers for Eddie Jones and Elden Campbell on 3/10

1997-1998 REGULAR SEASON
Registered 10 points (4-5 FG), 6 assists and 4 rebounds in an 89-76 victory over the Orlando Magic on 4/19 Posted a season-high 15 points, 7 assists and 3 rebounds in a 109-103 victory over the New Jersey Nets on 4/15 Scored 13 points in a 120-113 double-overtime victory over the Phoenix Suns on 1/27 Recorded 11 points (4-5 FG) and 8 assists in a 99-88 overtime victory over the Miami Heat on 1/2 Traded by the Warriors to the Charlotte Hornets for Muggsy Bogues and Tony Delk on 11/7

1996-1997 REGULAR SEASON
Armstrong played in 49 games to run his consecutive games streak to 577 before suffering a torn medial meniscus in his left knee and being sidelined on Feb. 19. He underwent arthroscopic surgery two days later and missed the remainder of the season. Armstrong, who made 17 starts, averaged 7.9 points and 2.6 assists in 20.8 minutes per game. He scored a season-high 24 points, shooting 8-for-10 from the field and 7-for-8 from the line, and handed out six assists in a 102-92 win at San Antonio on Nov. 17. He also scored 20 points and a season-high nine field goals made in a 98-70 win against Portland on Dec. 1. He led the team in scoring once, against San Antonio on Nov. 17, and led the team in assists three times, getting seven against the Lakers on Nov. 19 and against Boston on Jan. 14. Prior to his injury he ranked 11th in the NBA with a .861 free throw percentage, but he failed to qualify for the season-ending leader list. During the final month of the season, Armstrong was a guest analyst for the Warriors' radio broadcasts. He also appeared as a studio guest on TNT's playoff coverage.

1995-1996 REGULAR SEASON
Selected by Toronto in the 1995 NBA Expansion Draft and then traded to Golden State, Armstrong played in all 82 games for the Warriors in 1995-96 and averaged 12.3 points and a career-high 4.9 assists in 27.6 minutes per game. Except for Tim Hardaway, who was dealt in midseason to Miami, Armstrong had the highest assist average on the team. Armstrong also led the Warriors with 98 three-pointers, and his .473 three-point percentage (98-for-207) ranked fourth in the NBA. He was 59-for-117 for .504 from three-point range in 35 games after the All-Star break. Armstrong also ranked 20th in the NBA in free throw percentage at .839 and maintained his status of never having shot less than 80 percent from the line. Armstrong started each of the Warriors' last 63 games and a total of 64 overall. He scored in double figures in 36 of his last 46 games and 49 times overall, getting a career-high 35 points including 13-for-15 from the line in a 105-102 overtime win at Houston on March 19. He posted six double-doubles and led the Warriors in scoring 10 times and assists 25 times, getting a season-high 13 assists against Seattle on March 26. The 1995-96 campaign marked the sixth consecutive complete season for Armstrong, bringing his consecutive games played total to 528, third-longest in the NBA. He has played 573 of a possible 574 games over seven NBA seasons.

1994-1995 REGULAR SEASON
The only member of the Chicago Bulls to start all 82 games in 1994-95, Armstrong continued to be a reliable presence. The season marked the fifth straight campaign in which he had played in every regular-season contest. He struggled a bit from the field, however, posting a career-low .468 field-goal percentage, but he turned in another solid season from beyond the three-point arc, finishing ninth in the league at .427. For the year, he averaged 14.0 points and 3.0 assists and led the team with an .884 free-throw percentage (eighth in the NBA). Armstrong, who scored in double figures in 68 games during the regular season, led Chicago in scoring in 10 contests and struck for 20 or more points 14 times. He hit for a season-high 27 points twice, on December 21 against the Indiana Pacers and on March 6 against the Portland Trail Blazers. On December 9 he tied his career high by pulling down 7 rebounds in a game against the Detroit Pistons. With Michael Jordan back from his brief retirement, the Bulls reached the playoffs with a 47-35 record. After dispatching the Charlotte Hornets in the opening round, they were ousted by the Orlando Magic in the conference semifinals. Armstrong was not much of a factor in the series against Charlotte, scoring 7.0 points per contest in four games. In Chicago's six-game loss to Orlando he averaged 12.5 points, hitting for 18 points in Games 4 and 5.

1993-1994 REGULAR SEASON
Perhaps no other Chicago Bulls player realized the vast opportunity that the temporary retirement of Michael Jordan created more than Armstrong. In fact, his improvement was so evident in 1993-94 that he was elected as a starter in the NBA All-Star Game, garnering the second-most votes in the Eastern Conference. Armstrong also participated in the NBA Long Distance Shootout on All-Star Saturday. The 6-foot-2 point guard enjoyed a career year with the three-time defending world champions, improving in several offensive categories, including scoring (14.8 ppg), in which he ranked third on the team. Armstrong also handed out 3.9 assists per game to rank second on the club behind Scottie Pippen. By the end of the regular season Armstrong had played in 363 consecutive games-the longest streak of any current Bulls player-and had started 122 straight contests. He finished the season ranked second in the NBA in three-point field-goal percentage (.444) and 14th in free-throw percentage (.855). Armstrong tied his career scoring high twice during the season, notching 28 points on November 5 against the Charlotte Hornets and again on November 19 against the Los Angeles Lakers. Armstrong was also the team's No. 3 scorer in the postseason, averaging 15.3 points. He shot .580 from three-point range in Chicago's two series against the Cleveland Cavaliers and the New York Knicks.

1992-1993 REGULAR SEASON
While teammate Michael Jordan was leading the league in scoring for the seventh straight year, Armstrong won a title of his own in 1992-93 by finishing as the NBA's top three-point shooter. He hit 63 of 109 attempts for a league-best .453 percentage. With injuries limiting John Paxson's playing time and productivity, Armstrong became a starter for the first time in his career. Playing in all 82 games and starting 74, he ranked fourth on the Bulls in scoring (12.3 ppg) and third in assists (4.0 apg). He scored in double figures 58 times, including a season-high 28 points against the Los Angeles Clippers on March 15. Many thought the Bulls had used up their allotment of NBA titles when they won their second straight in 1992. But Chicago quieted the doubters again in 1993, thanks in part to strong contributions from Armstrong in the NBA Finals. The fourth-year guard averaged 13.5 points in six games against the Phoenix Suns, with a high of 21 in Game 3. He shot .510 from the floor and a remarkable .579 (11-of-19) from three-point range.

1991-1992 REGULAR SEASON
Armstrong and Scottie Pippen were the only Bulls to play in all 82 games of the 1991-92 season. Although Michael Jordan and John Paxson remained fixtures in Chicago's starting backcourt, Armstrong started three times for the injured Paxson in early November and responded with 16.6 points and 7.0 assists per game. He recorded his season high during that stretch, pouring in 22 points against the Boston Celtics on November 6. For the year, Armstrong averaged 9.9 points while shooting .481 from the field. He continued to develop as an excellent three-point shooter, hitting on 35 of 87 attempts for a team-high .402 percentage. The Bulls rolled to their second consecutive NBA Championship in 1992, with Armstrong averaging 7.3 points in 22 postseason games. He turned in his best playoff effort against the New York Knicks in the Eastern Conference Semifinals, scoring 18 points in Chicago's Game 2 victory.

1990-1991 REGULAR SEASON
Armstrong came off the bench in all 82 games in 1990-91 as the Bulls' third guard behind Michael Jordan and John Paxson. He ranked fifth on the team in scoring (8.8 ppg) and third in assists (3.7 apg) while shooting .481 from the field and an impressive .500 (15-of-30) from three-point range. He scored a season-high 19 points in two consecutive games-against the Atlanta Hawks on March 10 and versus the Minnesota Timberwolves on March 12. He also led the Bulls in assists in 14 games, with a season-high 10 assists against the Dallas Mavericks on March 1. Armstrong set the tone for the Bulls' fortunes in the 1991 NBA Playoffs when he tallied 18 points and 10 assists in Game 1 of a first-round series against the New York Knicks. Chicago romped all the way to the NBA Finals, then beat the Los Angeles Lakers in five games for the first world championship in franchise history. Armstrong shot .500 from the floor and averaged 5.5 points in 17 postseason games.

1989-1990 REGULAR SEASON
B. J. Armstrong concluded a fine career at the University of Iowa as the Hawkeyes' all-time leader in assists with 517. He also ranked third on the school's all-time steals list (178) and fourth in total points (1,705). The 6-foot-2 guard shot .443 (136-of-307) from three-point range over his four-year career and averaged 18.6 points and 5.4 assists as a senior. The Chicago Bulls selected Armstrong with the 18th overall pick in the 1989 NBA Draft. He was an instant contributor as a rookie, though far from the All-Star he would become in his fifth season. In 81 games as a reserve, Armstrong averaged 5.6 points in 15.9 minutes per game. He shot .485 from the field and .885 from the free-throw line, ranking second on the team in free-throw percentage. The Bulls advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals in 1990, losing to the defending NBA-champion Detroit Pistons in seven games. Armstrong came off the bench in all 16 postseason contests and averaged 4.0 points.