Tiago Splitter’s staff is transforming the Advocate Center through competitive shooting drills and celebratory rituals, signaling a vital shift toward player development for Chicago’s promising young core.
A gong could be heard ringing throughout the Advocate Center during Day 2 of Chicago Bulls training camp.
When asked about the unusual noise, Bulls guard Isaac Okoro revealed to Elias Schuster of Bulls on SI that players got the opportunity to bang the gong whenever they shot 20-for-25, or 80 percent, from three during a shooting drill.
On the surface, it is nothing more than a fun wrinkle added to practice. Hit enough shots, bang the gong and get back to work.
But it could also represent something much bigger for the Bulls.
It may be one of the first visible signs of the culture Tiago Splitter and his new coaching staff are trying to create in Chicago.
Jun 17, 2026; Chicago, Il, USA; New Chicago Bulls head coach Tiago Splitter speaks during a press conference at Advocate Center. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn ImagesThe Bulls spent the offseason retooling their roster, but the changes weren't limited to the players on the floor. Chicago also underwent a major overhaul on the sideline, beginning with the decision to hire Splitter as the team's new head coach after his successful stint in Portland.
The Bulls then surrounded Splitter with a coaching staff that appears to place a heavy emphasis on player relationships, development and creating an environment players actually want to be around. That includes former Bulls big man Taj Gibson, whose reputation as a leader and locker room presence followed him throughout his playing career.
That matters for a Bulls team entering a new era.
Chicago is attempting to build around a young core headlined by Caleb Wilson, Josh Giddey and Matas Buzelis. Developing those players obviously requires good coaching from a basketball standpoint, but development is about more than drawing up plays and running drills.
Young players need an environment that keeps them engaged, holds them accountable and makes the daily grind of an NBA season enjoyable.
Something as simple as banging a gong after a great shooting performance can help create that environment.
It adds competition to an otherwise ordinary shooting drill. It gives players something to celebrate. More importantly, it gives teammates a reason to celebrate each other's success.
Nobody should declare the Bulls' culture fixed because somebody hit 20 threes and smashed a gong during September training camp. Culture is ultimately built through winning, accountability and how a team responds when things inevitably become difficult.
Still, every culture has to start somewhere.
For years, Bulls fans have heard about the importance of player development and building the right habits. Splitter now has an opportunity to put his own stamp on what those ideas actually look like inside the Advocate Center.
Maybe the gong is just a gong.
Or maybe it is the first small glimpse of a Bulls team trying to make basketball fun again while building something together.
