Chicago's Benny the Bull named NBA Mascot of the Year

NBA mascots make up a fraternity of hard-working entertainers who are underappreciated (and, in some extreme cases, targeted) by the league at large.

So, in 1997, the mascots commenced an annual meeting: the NBA mascot conference. Robin Lopez is not invited.

Since 2005, the conference has selected one of its members to be honored as Mascot of the Year. The 2015 winner is Benny the Bull: the Chicago Bulls' furry, red, acrobatic, self-deprecating, wardrobe-conscious, popcorn-toting prankster. He dethrones Coyote, the goggle-eyed representative of the San Antonio Spurs.

The mascots have widely shared the wealth among themselves. Benny, a first-time honoree, is the ninth straight unique winner of the award. The Houston Rockets' Clutch and Jazz Bear from the Utah Jazz are the only repeat winners.

Here's a compilation of Benny's greatest hits from 2014-15: