On Jan. 10, the Chicago Bulls and BMO teamed to host the seventh annual Pride Night to celebrate their ongoing initiatives that support the LGBTQ+ community, according to an NBA press release.
Before the game, The Windy City Gay Chorus and Treble Quire from Windy City Performing Arts will return for the third consecutive year to perform the national anthem.
As part of Pride Night, the Bulls hosted Swish Queer Basketball, a Chicago-based organization founded on the goal to bring LGBTQ+ people together through basketball and create an environment where everyone feels seen and valued. The Bulls and BMO recently partnered with Swish in December to host a youth basketball clinic and panel discussion at the Advocate Center.
Halftime not only featured a video celebrating LGBTQ+ Pride but there was also a performance honoring house music, which celebrated its 40th anniversary last year. The show paid tribute to the late great Frankie Knuckles, “The Godfather of House,” and highlight the genre’s impact on the queer community and mass culture. House music was first played at the Chicago venue known as The Warehouse. In addition, The Good Girls—a collective of DJs empowering women, LGBTQIA+ and BIPOC artists—took to the court along with Benny The Bull, the Chicago Luvabulls, 312 Crew and DJ Flipside.
As for the game itself, the Bulls trampled the Washington Wizards 138-105 as Chicago’s Zach Levine had his fifth consecutive game scoring at least 30 points. Seven Bulls scored in double figures, including LaVine, Coby White, Jalen Smith and Nikola Vučević, among others; Vučević had 23 points, 13 rebounds and six assists as the Bulls distributed a season-high 39 assists.