Former Sixers executive Marc Eversley sees being Chicago Bulls’ first black GM as ‘a great opportunity’

Marc Eversley welcomes the responsibility.

The former 76ers senior vice president of player personnel was introduced Friday, via a conference call, as the Chicago Bulls’ new general manager. But the London, England native is not just any GM. He’s the first black general manager in the history of the franchise.

“It means a lot,” he said of the milestone. “I take pride in that. I think it’s a tremendous responsibility. I am a black man. I’m in a leadership position now in a city with so many black youths. I see this as a great opportunity.”

Eversley, who is second in command to Bulls executive vice president of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas, said being visible and invested in the black communities is important.

“I think this position with the Bulls provides me with resources to help drive some change,” he said. "We can all do better. I intend to do more.

“And I welcome those types of opportunities to become a role model for a lot of the young youth, both boys and girls in the city.”

The hiring comes after the Bulls were criticized for not interviewing a person of color for their post of executive vice president of basketball operations. Part of the criticism stemmed from the Bulls’ lack of history of hiring high-ranking minority executives.

Karnisovas said it was important for him to seek a black general manager.

“It’s our responsibility [and] it falls on our shoulders to seek diversity and diversions through higher process,” Karnisovas said. “So I thought the list that I put together was really good. ... I’m so glad that we settled on Marc.”

In addition to making history, the Bulls added a great talent evaluator who is good at building relationships.

Eversley came to Philadelphia in May 2016 to work with Bryan Colangelo, then the Sixers’ president of basketball operations/general manager.

That wasn’t the first time Eversley worked under Colangelo.

In 2006, Colangelo, then the Toronto Raptors’ general manager, hired Eversley, who before that spent 10 years at Nike.

He was known at Nike for building relationships with the players, their agents, family members, and friends. That prompted Colangelo to hire him.

Eversley was at Toronto until 2013 and climbed the ranks from director of basketball operations to assistant general manager. He went on to spend three years as the Washington Wizards’ vice president of scouting before reuniting with Colangelo in Philly.

“Bryan is the guy, who took a chance on me,” Eversley said. “When I first went to Toronto, he really taught me what the NBA is all about..”

Sixers general manager Elton Brand congratulated Eversley on becoming the Bulls’ GM in a statement released on Twitter. Brand labeled the former VP was “an intelligent, highly skilled manager with an eye for talent, a great feel for the game, and unique ability to forge meaningful relationships.”

Brand added that he had the pleasure of working with Eversley.