Taj Gibson retires from NBA after 15 seasons, joins Chicago Bulls coaching staff

After 15 seasons as a very good role player, former Chicago Bulls forward Taj Gibson has retired.

Gibson, 41, was a vital part of the Bulls roster from 2009-2017, playing a key role off the bench on some very good teams. After his Chicago stint, he bounced around the league up until this past season, acting as a veteran on 7 different NBA teams.

In 2010, Gibson made the All-Rookie First Team after the Bulls selected him in the 2009 NBA draft. He continued to become a great leader in the locker room with Chicago and has earned himself quite a good reputation around the league.

Shams Charania of ESPN was the first to report it just moments ago.

After 17 NBA seasons, Taj Gibson is retiring and returning to the Chicago Bulls as an assistant coach under Tiago Splitter to begin his coaching career. pic.twitter.com/K601XXGZe2

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) September 14, 2026

The Chicago Bulls are looking to return to contention in the 2026-27 NBA season.

They have hired a new coach, Tiago Splitter, a former NBA champion with the San Antonio Spurs. Splitter most recently served as interim head coach of the Portland Trail Blazers and was a top candidate in this offseason’s coaching cycle.

The former Spur now brings a familiar face back to Chicago, as Gibson was a fan favorite for many years. He joins as an assistant coach.

Taj Gibson will bring a veteran mindset to a very young Chicago Bulls team

This is a smart move by the Bulls, and Splitter in particular.

With a new center in Nic Claxton coming over in the offseason, Chicago will need to continue developing him. Claxton and Gibson share a lot of the same traits: tough hard nose defenders who rebound the ball well. Hopefully, he and Splitter will be able to get the most out of him, as Claxton seemed to regress over the past few seasons in Brooklyn.

Another key storyline this year will be the development of rookie sensation Caleb Wilson, who was picked 4th overall by the Bulls in this past summer’s NBA draft. Splitter has already spoken very highly of Wilson and sees him as the future of the franchise.

The former UNC Tar Heel will have a lot of pressure on him as a rookie, and hopefully Gibson’s role as a coach can help him manage it. This is likely to be a process full of growing pains, and not immediate contention, as some fans expect.

Needless to say, Tiago Splitter is making some great moves early on in his Chicago tenure. Bringing a guy like Taj Gibson back to the city will only help this rebuild.

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