The Chicago Bulls have their man. And it is a name that most Bulls fans were not necessarily expecting when the coaching search began.
According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, the Chicago Bulls are finalizing the hire of Tiago Splitter as their next head coach. The 41 year old Brazilian coach steps into one of the most storied franchises in NBA history, tasked with turning around a Bulls team that went 31-51 last season and missed the playoffs entirely.
Watch the full breakdown here:
Who Is Tiago Splitter?
If you are not completely familiar with Splitter’s coaching career, here is the quick version. He spent seven seasons as an NBA player, winning a championship with the San Antonio Spurs in 2014 alongside Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, and Manu Ginobili. After his playing days ended, he moved into coaching, working as an assistant with the Brooklyn Nets, Houston Rockets, and Paris Basketball before joining Portland as an assistant ahead of the 2025-26 season.
Then everything changed in Portland very fast.
The Chauncey Billups Situation
Just one game into the season, Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups was placed on immediate leave following his arrest as part of an FBI investigation into rigged poker games. Splitter stepped into the head coaching role under extraordinary circumstances, inheriting a team mid-chaos with no preparation time and no transition period.
What he did with that situation is why the Bulls came calling.
Splitter guided Portland to a 42-39 record, their first winning season in five years, and their first play-in berth since 2021. The Blazers eventually fell to the San Antonio Spurs in the first round of the playoffs, but the fact that they got there at all under those circumstances was widely regarded as one of the coaching stories of the entire season.
Why Chicago Chose Him
Bulls lead executive Bryson Graham, who took over basketball operations after the front office was completely overhauled following the firing of Arturas Karnisovas and general manager Marc Eversley, landed on Splitter for two specific reasons according to the Charania report: his leadership qualities and his focus on player development.
Both of those things matter enormously for where Chicago is right now. The Bulls are heading into a genuine rebuild. They hold the number four and number fifteen picks in the 2026 NBA Draft on June 23rd. Reports suggest they are expected to take North Carolina forward Caleb Wilson at number four, assuming the top three goes to AJ Dybantsa, Darryn Peterson, and Cameron Boozer as projected.
Splitter’s ability to develop young talent, demonstrated clearly in Portland, is exactly the profile Chicago needs right now.
He was reportedly one of four finalists for the job, beating out Minnesota Timberwolves assistant Micah Nori, Atlanta Hawks assistant Ryan Schmidt, and current Bulls assistant Wes Unseld Jr.
What Comes Next
Splitter replaces Billy Donovan, who left the team in April after six seasons during which the Bulls made the playoffs just once, back in 2022. Donovan’s departure followed the front office shake-up that signaled the organization was ready to start completely fresh.
Fresh is exactly what Tiago Splitter represents. He is unproven over a full season as a permanent head coach. He worked a miracle in Portland under impossible circumstances. He has the player development credentials that a rebuilding franchise needs.
Chicago fans have been waiting a long time for something to believe in. Whether Splitter is the answer begins on June 23rd at the draft and goes from there.
The rebuild is officially underway.
