The Chicago Bulls have named Tiago Splitter their new head coach. Splitter, 41, replaces Billy Donovan after serving as interim head coach for the Portland Trail Blazers last season. He took over early in the year following Chauncey Billups departure and led Portland to a 42-40 record. That mark gave the Trail Blazers their first winning season in several years and earned them a playoff spot.
League sources reported that the Bulls finalized the deal with Splitter on Monday after a search that included other assistants such as Micah Nori and Ryan Schmidt. Bulls executives focused on his leadership style and work in player development when making their choice.
Splitter brings a varied background to Chicago. A former NBA player who won a championship with the San Antonio Spurs in 2014, he later worked in player development with the Brooklyn Nets and as an assistant coach with the Houston Rockets. He also coached Paris Basketball in Europe before joining Portland.
The Bulls made the hiring official through their team channels. Splitter now begins work with a young roster that includes players such as Matas Buzelis and others the front office has been building around. The move marks a shift for the franchise following Donovan’s exit at the end of last season.