Bryson Graham preaching patience will not sit well with Bulls fans

Bryson Graham got off to a great start as the new Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations. In his first draft, he drafted Caleb Wilson and Daylin Swain. In fact, Bill Simmons called the Bulls “The biggest winners” in the NBA Draft in his podcast with “The Ringer”.

When Simmons, who has been one of the most aggressive critics of the Chicago Bulls front office in the past, gives you props, you are doing something right. 

So when he and the new head coach, Tiago Splitter, made rounds to talk with local Chicago sports radio stations this week, Bulls fans were eager to hear a man who would lead a fresh chapter for the Chicago Bulls after years of drifting in the NBA’s middle lane.

Instead, one comment stood out above the rest, and not in the way the organization hoped.

Graham has preached patience, pointed to the San Antonio Spurs, noting that they missed the playoffs for six straight seasons before finally breaking through to reach the NBA Finals this season. His message had been clear since he took this job: patience is required. Development takes time, and the Bulls shouldn’t expect instant results.

On paper, it’s a reasonable stance. In practice, it’s exactly the kind of comment that lands poorly in Chicago.

Graham’s comment was also not well received by the hosts at 104.3 The Score, which also carries the Bulls’ games.

Would you take 6 seasons of losing in a rebuild from the ground up for an NBA Finals appearance in the 7th year with a young team?

That was the Spurs’ path, as Bulls executive Bryson Graham mentioned to @mullyhaugh on Thursday.

“I don’t want to wait that long,” Mully says. pic.twitter.com/FkGuI9xd3L

— 104.3 The Score (@thescorechicago) June 26, 2026

Was it an overreaction by the hosts at “The Score”? Perhaps. But the Bulls fans have already lived through their own version of “patience.” Not bad enough to bottom out, not bold enough to rebuild, not competent enough to contend. They’ve watched the front office cling to the middle, watched ownership avoid hard decisions, watched the roster stagnate.

That’s why Graham’s “SLAP” philosophy — Size, Length, Athleticism, Positional versatility — has given fans a reason to believe the Bulls are finally embracing a modern identity. Drafting Caleb Wilson and Dailyn Swain fits that vision. Both players are long, switchable, and full of upside. But both also need years of development, especially as shooters.

But pairing a long‑term roster strategy with a long‑term plea for patience is a risky combination for a franchise whose fanbase has grown apathetic. The Bulls fans aren’t angry anymore. They’re numb.

San Antonio earned patience through decades of competence under Gregg Popovich. They also have generational talent in Victor Wembanyama. Chicago has spent years burning itself through misaligned visions, inconsistent leadership, and a refusal to commit to a full rebuild.

That’s why Graham’s Spurs comparison feels like a preemptive excuse, even if that was not his intent. And you can’t fault the Bulls fans for being confused and frustrated before they played a single regular game.

After experiencing highs on the draft night, Graham is already learning how unforgiving Chicago can be when the message doesn’t match the moment.

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