Bulls Shake Up Leadership: Tiago Splitter Poised to Take Head Coach Reins
Tiago Splitter, the successful interim coach for the Portland Trail Blazers, has been officially hired as the new head coach of the Chicago Bulls. Splitter's impressive stint in Portland, which included leading the team to a playoff berth and fostering significant player development, secured him the role after an extensive search. His background as an NBA champion player and his coaching expertise align with the Bulls' future vision.
The Chicago Bulls have finalized the hiring of Tiago Splitter, formerly the interim coach for the Portland Trail Blazers, as their new head coach. Splitter steps into the role succeeding Billy Donovan, bringing a strong track record of success and player development to the Bulls franchise. The decision follows Splitter's impactful tenure with the Trail Blazers, where he served as interim head coach last season.
During his time in Portland, Splitter, 41, guided the Trail Blazers to an impressive 42-40 record, securing a postseason berth as the No. 7 seed in the Western Conference. This achievement came amidst significant adversity, including federal charges against the previous head coach, Chauncey Billups. Splitter made history by becoming the first Trail Blazers head coach since Maurice Cheeks in 2001-02 to achieve a winning record in his debut season, and the first since Mike Dunleavy in 1997-98 to win a playoff game in his inaugural season with the team.
Under Splitter's leadership, the Trail Blazers developed a top-10 defense over their final 51 regular-season games, compiling a 30-21 record during that period. The team also led the NBA in second-chance points per game last season. Splitter notably garnered strong support within Portland's locker room, highlighted by the approval of star forward Deni Avdija, who flourished under Splitter's guidance to become a first-time NBA All-Star.
The Chicago Bulls conducted an extensive search process, evaluating a double-digit number of candidates before narrowing down to four finalists. Top Bulls officials, including executive vice president of basketball operations Bryson Graham and his front office staff, met with Splitter, Minnesota Timberwolves assistant Micah Nori, Atlanta Hawks assistant Ryan Schmidt, and current Bulls assistant Wes Unseld Jr. Splitter was ultimately chosen due to his demonstrated ability in player development, his alignment with the franchise's direction and vision, and his profound leadership and knowledge base as a coach. His journey in coaching began in 2018, following a seven-year NBA playing career that included an NBA championship with the San Antonio Spurs.
Splitter's professional basketball journey began overseas before he was drafted by the Spurs with the No. 28 pick in the 2007 NBA draft. He played for San Antonio, Atlanta, and Philadelphia during his NBA career. After retiring as a player, Splitter transitioned into coaching and front-office roles, starting as a scout and player development staff member for the Brooklyn Nets in 2018. He served as an assistant for the Houston Rockets under Ime Udoka during the 2023-24 season, and briefly took on the head coach position for Paris Basketball for the 2024-25 EuroLeague campaign before returning to the NBA as Billups' lead assistant in Portland.
With Splitter's departure to Chicago, the Portland Trail Blazers are now tasked with hiring a new head coach. Sources indicate that Micah Nori and Boston Celtics assistant Tyler Lashbrook are the two remaining candidates for the Portland job, with both expected to meet with team ownership in the near future.