Chicago Bulls Hire Tiago Splitter As Head Coach Amid Coaching Transition

The Chicago Bulls are set to appoint Portland Trail Blazers interim head coach Tiago Splitter as the next head coach, according to reports on Monday. Splitter is expected to replace Billy Donovan, who left the role in April after posting a 226-256 record across six seasons.

Donovan guided Chicago to the play-offs only once during that spell, which increased pressure on the role. Splitter strengthened his credentials last season when Portland promoted Splitter after Chauncey Billups was arrested in connection with a gambling investigation that disrupted the Trail Blazers’ coaching structure.

Under Splitter, Portland finished the regular season 42-40 and returned to the postseason for the first time since 2021. The Trail Blazers defeated the Phoenix Suns in the NBA Play-In Tournament, claiming the seventh seed in the Western Conference and showing improved consistency across the second half of the campaign.

Portland’s play-off campaign began against the San Antonio Spurs, who entered as the Western Conference second seed. The Trail Blazers earned a split from the opening two games, but the eventual West champions Spurs then won three straight contests to finish the first-round series in five games.

Splitter brings a strong playing background into the Chicago Bulls head coach role. San Antonio selected Splitter 28th overall in the 2007 NBA Draft, and Splitter later featured for the Atlanta Hawks and Philadelphia 76ers. The 41-year-old Brazilian played 355 games, starting 153, and averaged 7.9 points and five rebounds.

The Chicago Bulls head coach appointment places Splitter in charge of a roster seeking sustained play-off participation after limited success under Donovan. Chicago will now rely on Splitter’s recent play-off experience with Portland and previous years as a player in San Antonio, Atlanta and Philadelphia to shape the next phase.