Taj Gibson is headed back to the Chicago Bulls, just this time on the other side of things.
Gibson announced Monday he was retiring from basketball after spending 17 seasons in the NBA. Gibson will now join the staff in Chicago, where he got his NBA start, as an assistant under new head coach Tiago Splitter, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania.
“Today is a very emotional day for me. After 17 seasons in the NBA, I can honestly say I gave this game everything I had,” Gibson wrote on social media. “Basketball gave me the opportunity to live a dream. As a kid from Brooklyn, NY, I was lucky to get a chance to display my talent on the biggest stage. From Fort Greene Projects to USC, to the Chicago Bulls, and every team and city that came after, I’m grateful for every moment, every teammate, every coach, and every person who believed in me.
“I wanted to be the guy my teammates could count on someone who brought toughness, energy, leadership, and heart every time I stepped on the court … After 31 years of basketball, I can walk away with no regrets, knowing I left everything on the floor. God has truly blessed me.”
The Bulls first selected Gibson with the No. 26 overall pick in the 2009 NBA Draft out of USC. He earned All-Rookie honors in Chicago and finished fifth in the Rookie of the Year race. Gibson spent more than seven seasons with the Bulls, and was the runner-up as the Sixth Man of the Year during the 2013-14 campaign while averaging 13 points and 6.8 rebounds per game.
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Gibson jumped around a lot in the back half of his career, and ended up playing for the Oklahoma City Thunder, Minnesota Timberwolves, New York Knicks, Washington Wizards, Detroit Pistons, Charlotte Hornets and most recently the Memphis Grizzlies. Gibson appeared in 10 games for the Grizzlies last season, and became just the 35th player in history to make an NBA appearance while in his 40s.
Gibson was actually traded earlier this month to the New Orleans Pelicans, too. But at 41, Gibson opted to call it a career instead of fighting for an 18th season.
Gibson will now join Splitter’s staff in Chicago. The Bulls hired Splitter earlier this summer to replace Billy Donovan after a front office shakeup that saw both general manager Marc Eversley and vice president of basketball operations Artūras Karnišovas fired. Splitter spent last season as the Portland Trail Blazers’ interim head coach after Chauncey Billups was placed on leave and arrested for his alleged involvement in rigged poker games. Splitter led the team to the playoffs for the first time since 2021.
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Splitter and Gibson are tasked with turning the Bulls around, which has been a tough task over the last decade or so. The Bulls went just 31-51 last season, and they’ve only been to the playoffs twice in the past 11 seasons. They’ve not won a playoff series since 2015, and have had only two winning campaigns over that span.
While it’s been a struggle in Chicago lately, it’s hard to argue there’s a better place for Gibson to start his coaching career.
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