The only 'D' in Hodges was in his last name, but Bulls kept marksman anyway

Like many of the frormer Chicago Bulls, Craig Hodges has come to into focus thanks to "The Last Dance," ESPN's wildly popular documentary based on the 1997-98 season.

Hodges recently reacted to a segment in which Michael Jordan was asked about what was characterized as the 1984 team's "traveling cocaine circus." That was Jordan's rookie year and he admitted seeing some of his older teammates using drugs.

“One of the things as players, we call this a fraternity. So I’m watching the first episode, and I was upset about the 'cocaine circus,'" Hodges told FOX Sports radio. "That bothered me because I was thinking about the brothers ... who have to explain to their families, who are getting ready to watch this great Michael Jordan documentary and they know you’re on the team, and now you’ve got to explain that to a 12-year-old boy.”

Anyway, Hodges was a 6-foot-2 backup point guard for the Bulls in the 1988-92 seasons. He was more of a shooting guard than a point guard. He remains one of the most underrated shooters in league history -- appearing in the first eight Three-Point Contests, and winning it three times.

(When Larry Bird walked in the locker room before the first contest and asked, "Who's playing for second?" the answer turned out to be Hodges.)

So Hodges could really shoot.

But it was his defense that had the Bulls considering releasing a valuable piece in 1990-91, the season of the team's first championship.

"They start posting him up as soon as he gets off the bus," then-coach Phil Jackson joked in a meeting, according to Sam Smith's book, The Jordan Rules.

Hodges wore the No. 14, and Smith wrote that the coaches would jokingly call him "Highway Fourteen," because "everyone comes down Highway Fourteen."

Famous Bulls assistant Tex Winter, who invented the Triangle offense, wanted the team to cut Hodges during the season -- only because he thought Hodges deserved more of an opportunity somewhere else.

As it stood, Hodges remained in and out of a backcourt rotation that also consisted of starters John Paxson and Jordan, the disappointing Dennis Hopson and up-and-coming B.J. Armstrong, who Smith wrote was growing frustrated with his role as a reserve.

But despite Hodges' struggles with NBA defense, Jackson and assistant John Bach didn't want to regret giving Hodges a chance to shine with another team, and come back to bite the Bulls in a playoff game or series.

"Hey, we may need him sometime," Bach said. "You've got to remember, these are the Hessians, hired soldiers. He's a piece that may win a game for us someday. You don't just give that away."

Hodges was indeed a constant perimeter threat for the Bulls, a specialist who did had a hand in the two titles of 1991 and '92.

Eventually, though, Hodges was cut loose, going on to finish his career overseas and in the old Continental Basketball Association.

But when you watch "The Last Dance," know that the Bulls weren't all Jordan and Scottie Pippen and Dennis Rodman. They were made up of a lot of important players who few discuss -- players such as Hodges.

The coaches may have felt Hodges couldn't guard the Gatorade cooler at the end of the bench, but he could fill up the basket. During the first championship season, that actually counted for a lot.

Sam Amico covers pro basketball for Sports Illustrated. Follow him @AmicoHoops.