Photo Credit: Sam Sharpe-Imagn Images
NBA veteran Taj Gibson has retired after 17 seasons and will immediately begin the next chapter of his basketball career as an assistant coach with the Chicago Bulls.
The Bulls announced Monday that Gibson will join new head coach Tiago Splitter’s staff after spending the first eight seasons of his playing career with the franchise. Gibson’s return to Chicago comes after he played for eight teams and appeared in more than 1,000 regular-season games.
“I can honestly say I gave this game everything I had,” Gibson wrote in his retirement announcement on social media. “I’m grateful for every moment, every teammate, every coach, and every person who believed in me.”
Gibson Leaves Lasting Mark In Chicago
The Bulls selected Gibson with the 26th overall pick in the 2009 NBA Draft, and he quickly established himself as an important part of the team.
Gibson spent eight seasons in Chicago, averaging 9.4 points, 6.4 rebounds and 1.2 blocks per game. He finished fifth in Rookie of the Year voting during the 2009-10 season and received Sixth Man of the Year votes three times, including a second-place finish in 2014.
The forward became a fan favorite during a period when the Bulls made several deep postseason runs following the Michael Jordan era. He returned to Chicago in January to attend Derrick Rose’s jersey retirement ceremony.
Gibson later spent time with the Minnesota Timberwolves, New York Knicks, Washington Wizards, Charlotte Hornets, Oklahoma City Thunder, Detroit Pistons and Memphis Grizzlies.
Taj Gibson Begins Coaching Career With Bulls
Gibson spent time around the Bulls during Summer League in Las Vegas in July, when the possibility of joining Splitter’s staff first emerged.
Splitter took over as Chicago’s head coach in June, and Gibson will now join him as the former NBA forward transitions into coaching.
Wes Unseld Jr. returns as an assistant, while Blake Ahearn, Jamelle McMillan, Rex Kalamian, Jonah Herscu, Jordan Brink and Gibson round out the staff.
“It’s the beginning of a new chapter,” Gibson wrote. “After 31 years of basketball, I can walk away with no regrets, knowing I left everything on the floor.”
Gibson Ends Career After 1,012 Games
Gibson finished his NBA career with averages of 8.3 points, 5.7 rebounds and 1.0 blocks per game across 1,012 regular-season appearances.
His final NBA move came last week when Memphis traded him and AJ Johnson to the New Orleans Pelicans for Jordan Hawkins, Micah Peavy, a future second-round pick and a second-round pick swap. New Orleans then waived Gibson.
Gibson now returns to the organization that drafted him, this time to begin his coaching career and help guide a new generation of Bulls players.
