Longtime Chicago Bulls forward Taj Gibson is retiring as a professional basketball player and joining Tiago Splitter’s coaching staff in Chicago as an assistant coach.
The Bulls selected Gibson with the 26th pick in the 2009 NBA Draft, and he played the bulk of his first eight seasons as a pivotal role player in Chicago before becoming a journeyman.
Gibson, 41, played with eight different organizations across his 17-year career. He played his final season with the Memphis Grizzlies, mostly acting as a veteran locker room presence last season, and has long held a reputation for his vocality.
After the season, while Gibson mulled over his future and whether he might attempt to continue playing basketball, he visited with the Bulls at Las Vegas Summer League. On Monday, Gibson formally announced his retirement via social media. ESPN first reported Gibson’s intentions.
“Basketball gave me the opportunity to live a dream. As a kid from Brooklyn, NY, I was lucky to get a chance to display my talent on the biggest stage. From Fort Greene Projects to USC, to the Chicago Bulls, and every team and city that came after, I’m grateful for every moment, every teammate, every coach, and every person who believed in me,” Gibson wrote.
Playing for coach Tom Thibodeau alongside players like Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah, Gibson became beloved in Chicago for his hard-nosed play as a defender and rebounder. In his first seven seasons with the Bulls, Gibson averaged 9.2 points and 6.3 rebounds per game. He finished top 10 in Sixth Man of the Year voting in three different seasons, including a runner-up finish in 2013-14.
Gibson’s interest in coaching — and the extent of his experience — evolved at the NBA Top 100 camp, an annual showcase for top-ranked high school prospects, where he coached and mentored teenagers in recent years.
Now, Gibson’s first NBA coaching gig comes on Splitter’s bench.
