When I wrote my first story for the BullsRoundtable about Josh Giddey's four-year, $100 million extension, I called it a decisive gamble for the Chicago Bulls, a franchise mired in long-term mediocrity that had just abandoned its grand vision built around Lonzo Ball, DeMar DeRozan and Zach LaVine.

The odds seemed shaky after watching his preseason: 14.0 points, 31.6% from three, 2.6 turnovers per game. Not impressive. It looked like a replica of his first season in a Bulls jersey, leaving fans to wonder if he could truly lead this franchise or if the acquisition was worth sacrificing the big names that once gave Chicagoans hope of escaping mediocrity.

Then Tuesday night happened. Giddey stuffed the stat sheet and led the Bulls in a 24-point comeback against the Philadelphia 76ers, capped by his pivotal drive-and-kick that set up Nikola Vučević's game-winning three. Beyond the late-game heroics, he became the first Bull to post back-to-back triple-doubles since Michael Jordan.

Comparing anyone to the immortal Jordan feels cruel, but seeing Giddey mentioned alongside the G.O.A.T. signals something important: we're witnessing an elevated Giddey who looks fundamentally different from what we've seen before.

People have always struggled to define his role. During his three seasons with the Oklahoma City Thunder, he played mostly as a wing: 63% of his minutes at small forward as a rookie, 61% at power forward in year two and 80% at power forward in his final OKC season (even logging 2% of his time at center), according to Cleaning the Glass.

Last year marked his first full season as a point guard with the Bulls. He didn't score prolifically (14.6 points per game), but that made sense given Coby White's career-high offensive output in the backcourt. Giddey's role shifted toward distributing the workload as a facilitator, averaging 7.2 assists as Billy Donovan searched for a Ball replacement to maintain his high-tempo, ball-movement scheme.

This year looks different. White's absence due to injury has mattered, but it's clear Donovan has unlocked something more — more than a replacement to the predecessor, the brand-new Giddey can score and facilitate at an elite level.

The most remarkable change? Scoring. Through the Bulls' impressive 6-1 start, Giddey has surged to 23.1 points, 10.0 rebounds, and 9.1 assists per game — a near triple-double showcase — while shooting 49.6% from the field and 41.9% from three-point range. He's peaked across every major statistical category, representing Chicago with emerging stardom.

Behind the assists, he has maintained, or perhaps even elevated, his natural playmaking ability, reading defenses and making precise decisions. Ranking fifth in the league in assists per game so far, every pass he maneuvers creates a threat. According to Basketball Reference, he's posting a 39.2% assist rate while ranking third in passes per game and fifth in points created from assists.

Here comes the shooting dashboard, my favorite category to evaluate a player. Despite attempting fewer catch-and-shoot opportunities (15.4%) this year, Giddey is converting 56.3% from three-point range on those looks. He's also shooting 51.6% without dribbling. Most striking is his improvement on contested shots. Last year, he looked equally fine facing any defensive pressure besides wide open. This season, he's shooting 70% when facing very tight coverage (0-2 feet), per NBA.com

His rim pressure has intensified as well. According to Cleaning the Glass, Giddey took 35% of his shots at the rim (within four feet) last year, converting 58% of them. This season, 39% of his shots come at the rim, and he's making 65% of them—a remarkable jump in both volume and efficiency.

The advanced metrics tell an even more impressive story. Per Cleaning the Glass, the Bulls score 119.2 points per 100 possessions with Giddey on the court while posting an elite 59.3% effective field goal percentage (eFG%). That's a significant leap from last season's 114.8 points per possession and 56.7% eFG%. His overall point differential has surged to +7.2 — a career high — meaning the Bulls are more than seven points better per 100 possessions with him on the floor, compared to -1.3 last season.

Beyond facilitating, Giddey has become far more aggressive in attacking the basket. His free-throw rate — measuring how many free throws the team generates per 100 possessions when he plays — has jumped from 16.7 to 22.7. His offensive rebounding impact has climbed dramatically from the 18th percentile to the 41st percentile. The Australian guard isn't just distributing, he's elevating Chicago's entire offensive ecosystem.

The $100 million gamble looks less risky with each passing game. Giddey has transformed from a positional question mark into a legitimate franchise cornerstone, blending elite playmaking with aggressive scoring and improved shooting. Whether he can sustain this level remains to be seen, but through seven games, the Bulls' bet on Josh Giddey is paying serious dividends.

For a franchise desperate to escape mediocrity, finding a 23-year-old capable of near triple-doubles while quarterbacking an efficient offense might be exactly the foundation they've been searching for. The odds are no longer swinging—they're firmly in Chicago's favor.

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