B.J. Armstrong

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Lore & Background

Armstrong was born in Detroit, Michigan, and attended Brother Rice High School in Bloomfield Township, Michigan, graduating in 1985. He played college basketball at the University of Iowa, where he became the Hawkeyes' all-time leader in assists with 517 upon graduation (currently ranked sixth all-time), ranked sixth on the school's all-time steals list (178), and fourth in total points (1,705). He shot .443 from three-point range over his four-year career and averaged 18.6 points and 5.4 assists as a senior. He received his bachelor's degree from Iowa in May 1989. Selected by the Chicago Bulls in the first round of the 1989 NBA draft, Armstrong helped the team return to the Eastern Conference Finals in 1990. He helped them win their first NBA title in 1991, averaged double-digit scoring off the bench in 1992 to help the Bulls win their second straight title, and locked down the starting job in 1993, contributing to a third straight title and claiming the NBA's three-point field goal percentage crown. In 1994, he emerged as a leader after Michael Jordan's retirement, was voted a starter in the 1994 NBA All-Star Game, and finished second in the NBA in three-point field goal percentage. He finished third in scoring again in 1995. Armstrong was the first player chosen in the 1995 NBA expansion draft (via Toronto Raptors) but refused to report. He was traded by the Raptors to the Golden State Warriors in exchange for Carlos Rogers and four other players, playing for the Warriors in 1996 and 1997. Four games into the 1997–98 season, he was acquired by the Charlotte Hornets for Tony Delk and Muggsy Bogues, playing 62 games that year and 10 games in 1999 before being traded to the Los Angeles Lakers, who immediately waived him. He was signed by the Orlando Magic in March of the 1998–99 season. On August 30, 1999, he was again signed by the Bulls and played the 1999–2000 season, retiring at the end of the season. On May 7, 2025, Armstrong became the assistant general manager of the Sacramento Kings under GM Scott Perry.

In Their Own Story

The turning point for Armstrong came in 1993 when he locked down the starting job, guiding the Bulls to a 57–25 record and their third straight title. That season, he claimed the NBA's three-point field goal percentage crown with .453 on 63-for-139 shooting. Following Michael Jordan's abrupt retirement in 1994, Armstrong emerged as a leader, placing third on the team in scoring. He was voted a starter in the 1994 NBA All-Star Game and finished second in the league in three-point percentage at .444 while leading the Bulls to a 55–27 record. In 1995, he again finished third in scoring as Chicago posted a 47–35 record with Jordan, Scottie Pippen, and Toni Kukoč.

Reader's Guide

Armstrong's career includes three NBA championships with the Chicago Bulls (1991, 1992, 1993), an NBA All-Star Game start in 1994, and the NBA three-point field goal percentage crown in 1993. He played for the Bulls, Golden State Warriors, Charlotte Hornets, Orlando Magic, and returned to the Bulls before retiring. He later served as a special assistant to Jerry Krause in Chicago, a scout, a basketball analyst for ESPN, and an agent for several NBA players including Derrick Rose. He became assistant general manager of the Sacramento Kings in May 2025.

Did You Know?

• Armstrong was the first player chosen in the 1995 NBA expansion draft but refused to report to the Toronto Raptors.
• He claimed the NBA's three-point field goal percentage crown in 1993 with a mark of .453.
• Armstrong was voted a starter in the 1994 NBA All-Star Game.
• He received his bachelor's degree from the University of Iowa in May 1989.