A storied reunion looms as the former Coach of the Year eyes a Windy City comeback.
The Chicago Bulls' rebuild is moving step by step. Bryson Graham is in place to lead the front office as the new executive vice president of basketball operations. Now comes the coaching search — and the first name to surface is a familiar one.
According to Sam Amick of The Athletic, former Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau expressed interest in returning to Chicago. Thibodeau, 68, was relieved of his duties by the New York Knicks last summer but is actively seeking his next opportunity — and a Bulls reunion is apparently on the table.
"League sources say that includes the prospect of a Bulls reunion (with Thibodeau) if the Reinsdorfs and new executive vice president of basketball operations Bryson Graham, who was hired away from the Atlanta Hawks on Monday, had interest," Amick wrote.
The history between Thibodeau and Chicago runs deep. The Bulls hired him in 2010 to replace Vinny Del Negro, after the team finished 41-41 and was eliminated by the Cleveland Cavaliers 1-4 in the first round. In Thibodeau's first season, Chicago went 62-20 — matching the best record in franchise history since the 1996 championship run — and Thibodeau won NBA Coach of the Year, becoming only the third rookie head coach to win over 60 games.
May 10, 2011; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago Bulls head coach Tom Thibodeau reacts during the second half in game five of the second round of the 2011 NBA playoffs against the Atlanta Hawks at the United Center. The Bulls defeated the Hawks 95-83. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Wierzbicki-Imagn ImagesSome players also flourished under him. Derrick Rose won MVP in 2011, becoming the youngest in league history to do so. Joakim Noah took home Defensive Player of the Year in 2014. Luol Deng and Taj Gibson gave the Bulls an identity built on toughness and grit.
Despite leading the Bulls to success instantly, those highlights remained mostly in the regular season, falling short in a deep playoff run that marked the most on Thibodeau’s Bulls tenure. Both parted ways in 2015 after the team lost to the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Semifinals.
After three seasons in Minnesota, Thibodeau landed in New York and directed one of the more impressive turnarounds in the NBA's recent history. He guided the Knicks to their first playoff appearance since 2013 in the shortened 2020-21 season and earned his second Coach of the Year award. His tenure peaked in 2025 when he led New York to the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time in 25 years. The team ended the impulsive run by losing to the defending champion Celtics before being dismissed that June.
With Graham now expected to take full charge of the coaching search, a reunion isn't far-fetched. Thibodeau's defensive identity would give the Bulls an immediate cultural reset after years of organizational drift. More than that, he brings a winning culture, along with his genuine connection to the city, that could accelerate the Bulls' rebuild.