Bulls Appoint Tiago Splitter as New Head Coach

WHO:

NBC Sports - Tiago Splitter was hired away from the Portland Trail Blazers to become the head coach of the Chicago Bulls.

Hoops Rumors - Tiago Splitter is the 25th head coach of the Chicago Bulls.

RealGM Basketball - Bryson Graham is the new executive vice president of basketball operations for the Bulls.

Hoops Rumors - Tiago Splitter served as interim coach for the Portland Trail Blazers due to Chauncey Billups' ongoing legal issues.

The New York Times - Splitter was well liked by Portland players, including Damian Lillard, who endorsed his candidacy for the permanent role.

ESPN - Tiago Splitter is 41 years old.

ESPN - Deni Avdija emerged as a first-time NBA All-Star under Splitter's coaching.

Hoops Rumors - Tiago Splitter has been appointed as the new head coach of the Chicago Bulls.

RealGM Basketball - Splitter previously served as the interim head coach of the Portland Trail Blazers.

RealGM Basketball - Bryson Graham is the Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations for the Bulls.

WHAT:

RealGM Basketball - Splitter is the first head coaching hire of Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations Bryson Graham.

NBC Sports - Splitter led the Trail Blazers to a playoff berth after defeating the Phoenix Suns in the play-in tournament.

The New York Times - The Trail Blazers were knocked out of the playoffs by the eventual Western Conference champion Spurs in the opening round 4-1.

Hoops Rumors - Splitter led Paris Basketball to the French Cup, LNB Elite title, and a EuroLeague playoff berth in the 2024/25 season.

ESPN - The Bulls conducted a search that included a double-digit number of candidates before narrowing it down to four finalists.

The New York Times - The Bulls are entering the NBA Draft with two lottery picks: No. 4 and No. 15.

Hoops Rumors - Splitter led the Trail Blazers to a postseason berth after defeating the Phoenix Suns in the Play-In Tournament.

The New York Times - The Blazers ranked last in the NBA in turnovers (17.3 per game) during Splitter's tenure.

ESPN - Splitter became the first Trail Blazers head coach to have a winning record in his first season since Maurice Cheeks in 2001-02.

ESPN - Splitter was the first Trail Blazers head coach to win a playoff game in his debut season since Mike Dunleavy in 1997-98.

ESPN - The Trail Blazers led the NBA in second-chance points per game under Splitter last season.

Hoops Rumors - Splitter will replace Billy Donovan, who stepped down from his position as head coach of the Bulls.

RealGM Basketball - Splitter led the Trail Blazers to a 42-40 record and secured the No. 7 seed in the Western Conference during his interim coaching tenure.

Hoops Rumors - The Bulls have the No. 4 pick and the No. 15 pick in the upcoming NBA draft.

WHERE:

Hoops Rumors - The Chicago Bulls are based in Chicago, Illinois.

RealGM Basketball - The Portland Trail Blazers are based in Portland, Oregon.

WHEN:

RealGM Basketball - The Bulls are expected to make a decision on their head coach by "Monday" following the article's publication.

Hoops Rumors - The Bulls' last appearance in the conference semifinals was during the 2014/15 season.

WHY:

Hoops Rumors - The Bulls chose Splitter for his leadership skills, ability to prepare the team, and alignment with the franchise's direction and vision.

HOW:

Hoops Rumors - The Bulls' front office met with four finalists for the head coaching position last week in Chicago, including Splitter, before making their decision.

Chicago Sun-Times - Splitter was chosen for his ability to develop players and align with the franchise's direction and vision.

The New York Times - Splitter was never formally offered the head coaching job in Portland after his interim role.

ESPN - The Bulls conducted a search that spanned a double-digit number of candidates before narrowing the process to four finalists.

Hoops Rumors - The Bulls' front office met with four finalists for the head coaching position, including Splitter, before making their decision.

In a significant move, Tiago Splitter has been hired as the head coach of the Chicago Bulls, coming over from the Portland Trail Blazers where he led the team to a playoff berth after a victory over the Phoenix Suns in the play-in tournament. This marks the first head coaching hire for Bryson Graham, the Bulls' Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations, who met with four finalists for the position before selecting Splitter. The Trail Blazers' playoff run ended in the opening round, where they were defeated by the eventual Western Conference champion Spurs with a score of 4 to 1.