Taj Gibson Retires After 17 NBA Seasons, Returns To Chicago Bulls As Assistant Coach
Taj Gibson is officially calling it a career after 17 seasons in the NBA, but he won’t be leaving basketball behind.
The 41-year-old veteran announced Monday that he is retiring as a player and joining the Chicago Bulls coaching staff under newly hired head coach Tiago Splitter.
“It’s the beginning of a new chapter,” Gibson wrote on social media. “After 31 years of basketball, I can walk away with no regrets, knowing I left everything on the floor. God has truly blessed me.”
The Bulls selected the 6-foot-9 forward with the 26th overall pick in the first round of the 2009 NBA Draft. Gibson spent his first seven-plus seasons in Chicago and became known for his defense, physical play and willingness to embrace whatever role his team needed.
He went on to play for eight NBA teams during his career, including the Oklahoma City Thunder, Minnesota Timberwolves, New York Knicks, Detroit Pistons, Charlotte Hornets, Memphis Grizzlies and New Orleans Pelicans.
Gibson finished his career averaging 8.3 points and 5.7 rebounds across 1,012 regular-season games.
“I wanted to be the guy my teammates could count on — someone who brought toughness, energy, leadership, and heart every time I stepped on the court,” Gibson wrote in his retirement announcement.
His playing career officially ended shortly after New Orleans waived him following a trade with Memphis.
A New Role On The Bulls Bench
Gibson now joins a Bulls organization entering a new era under Splitter, who was hired as Chicago’s head coach in June.
He will serve alongside assistant coaches Wes Unseld Jr., Blake Ahearn, Jamelle McMillan, Rex Kalamian and Jonah Herscu.
For Gibson, the move brings his basketball journey full circle. Seventeen years after Chicago drafted him, the veteran forward is returning to the Bulls — this time from the sideline.
