John Paxson may not be a well-known name throughout the NBA, but he is a name that Chicago Bulls’ fans will always remember. Paxson was a part of the Bulls’ team that won three NBA championships in a row from 1991 to 1993.

Paxson would eventually work in the front office for the Bulls, and he went on to sell his house for more than what he made in his first two seasons with the Bulls.

John Paxson’s NBA career

Paxson began his NBA career in 1983 when the San Antonio Spurs drafted him in the 1983 NBA draft with the No.19 overall pick. He spent two seasons with the Spurs, only starting in one game between the two seasons. The point guard would average 4.9 points and 2.9 assists per game in the two seasons with San Antonio.

After his time in San Antonio, Paxson signed a free-agent deal with the Bulls. When Paxson joined the Bulls, they were struggling. During the 1985-86 season, they finished with a 31-51 record. Though they finished the season 20 games below .500, they still made the playoffs. They ended up losing to the Boston Celtics in the first round.

In his second season with the Bulls, Paxson averaged the most points of his career with 11.3 points per game. He also had a career-high in assists (5.7) and steals (1.7). The Bulls started to make progress over the years, and Paxson played an integral part.

During the 1990-91 season, the Bulls would win their first championship, and that was the start of a dynasty. The team would go on to win the next two championships and prove their dominance in the NBA. When the Bulls won their third straight title in 1993, Paxson delivered in a big way. In Game 6 of the NBA Finals, Paxson would hit the most memorable shot of his career. With 3.9 seconds left in the game, Paxson had a wide-open 3-point shot and nailed it.

The season after the Bulls won their third straight title was Paxson’s final season. In his 11 seasons, Paxson averaged 7.2 points, 1.2 rebounds, and 3.6 assists per game. He was a part of some of the best teams in the history of the league.

How much money did Paxson make playing with the Bulls?

Throughout his time playing with the Bulls, he made over $4 million. He made the most with the team during the 1991 and 1992 seasons in which he made over $1 million. Though Paxson wasn’t the top guy on the team, he still went out every night and left everything on the court.

After his playing career, Paxson stayed with the Bulls as an assistant coach. He was a part of another championship team as a coach, which brought his total to four NBA championships. From 2003 to 2009, he served as the team’s general manager. Most recently, he served as the vice president of basketball operations from 2009 to 2020.

Paxson sold his home for $725,000

In 2019, Paxson and his wife sold their five-bedroom, 5,199-square-foot house in Illinois for $725,000. Now looking at the number, that’s more than what Paxson made in his first season playing with the Bulls.

He made $460,000 in his first two seasons with the Bulls. Financially Paxson did not have anything to worry about because he made smart decisions when he was playing in the league even though he did not make a lot of money. After his playing career was over is when he made even more money being the GM for the Bulls for multiple years and continuing to have a role in the front office.