Tiago Splitter, a former NBA player, has been introduced as the new coach of the Chicago Bulls. Splitter, 41, has a wealth of experience, including seven years as a player and a challenging season as the interim coach of the Portland Trail Blazers.

Background and Experience

Splitter spent time with San Antonio, Atlanta, and Philadelphia during his playing career. He was selected by the Spurs in the first round of the 2007 draft and helped the team win an NBA title in 2014. Splitter worked for Brooklyn for five seasons from 2018-23, first as a pro scout and then as an assistant coach.

The addition of Splitter is the team’s most significant move since Bryson Graham took over as executive vice president of basketball operations on May 4. Graham praised Splitter’s competitiveness and ability to connect with players, saying, “We are at the ground floor… And so when you have someone that has a vision that aligns with yours, that knows how you want to play, and how to build a program, we just, I mean, we couldn’t be more excited.”

Coaching Philosophy

Splitter joined Chauncey Billups’ staff in Portland last June and was elevated from assistant to interim coach when Billups was arrested in October. Splitter coached Portland to a 42-40 record and a five-game loss to San Antonio in the first round of the playoffs. He declined to discuss his departure from Portland, saying, “I think there’s too many things being said already and I think that’s enough… I’m past that and I want to think about the Chicago Bulls.”

Splitter offered a diplomatic answer when asked about expectations for next season, saying, “I can guarantee you one thing: We’re going to compete every night. And we’re going to have high standards with everything that we do.”

Original reporting: Texarkana Gazette — read the source article.