Earlier this year, the Chicago Bulls dismissed head coach Jim Boylen signaling a shift in the organizations mentality after Boylen’s disappointing stint in Chicago. Boylen was known around the league as a bit overzealous, reportedly making the players clock in and out of practice, running very hard practices and calling timeouts to set up plays with his team down 20 in the fourth quarter. A good microcosm of his relationship with his players is this clip from earlier this season where he was upset Bulls player Zach Lavine.
Donovan will be a clear upgrade right away and this hire signals that the Bulls are going all in on their young core with the fourth overall pick coming next season, whomever that may be. Earlier this month, Donovan parted ways with the Oklahoma CIty Thunder after their elimination from the playoffs by the Houston Rockets. The Co-Coach of the Year’s departure was reportedly amicable with the Thunder heading into a rebuilding phase after competing in the playoffs for most of the past decade. It will be interesting to see how Donovan develops the Bulls young core and whether or not he can lift them out of the mediocrity that they have suffered from since Derrick Rose tore his ACL.
Donovan released a statement about his hire expressing his excitement to get to work with the Bulls players and organization saying, “I’m excited to partner with Arturas as we work together on behalf of this historic franchise,” he said.
