Chicago (United States) (AFP) – Tiago Splitter, who guided Portland into this year’s NBA playoffs as an interim coach, will be hired as the new coach of the Chicago Bulls, according to multiple reports on Monday. The deal, reported by ESPN and The Athletic, would see Splitter leave a Trail Blazers team where he was the first coach with a winning record in his first Portland season since Maurice Cheeks in 2002.
The 41-year-old Brazilian, who became the first player from his homeland to win an NBA title with San Antonio in 2014, retired as a player in 2018 due to a hip injury. Splitter served as an assistant coach for four years at Brooklyn and another with Houston before becoming coach of Paris Basketball for the 2024-2025 campaign, guiding the squad to the French champion and French Cup before leaving to become an assistant with the Portland Trail Blazers.
Related news
When Portland head coach Chauncey Billups was arrested last October for alleged involvement in an illegal gambling scheme, he was placed on leave by the NBA and Splitter was elevated to interim head coach. Splitter directed the Blazers to a 42-40 record and a playoff berth before a first-round loss to NBA runner-up San Antonio.
Chicago went 31-51 last season under coach Billy Donovan and missed the playoffs for a fourth season in a row. Donovan stepped down as coach just after the season after going 226-256 in six campaigns with only one playoff appearance. That sets the stage for Splitter to revamp the Bulls, who have not won a playoff series since 2015 and haven’t taken the title since Michael Jordan’s 1998 squad.
© 2024 AFP
