標籤: Donovans

Following their fourth consecutive loss on the season, the inevitable happened, and Billy Donovan’s tenure as head coach of the Chicago Bulls ended when he officially “resigned” from his position on Tuesday.

At the beginning of the week, it was still unclear whether Donovan would follow general manager Mark Eversley and executive vice president Arturas Karnisovas after they were fired by the Bulls earlier this month. There were also recent reports that the former Florida and Oklahoma City Thunder coach could gain even more influence in the organization.

However, Donovan would end his run with a 226–256 record and just one playoff trip in six seasons. So who could the Chicago Bulls make their next head coach? We present five possible options, including former head coach Tom Thibodeau.

taylor jenkins

Taylor Jenkins helped turn the Memphis Grizzlies into a consistent playoff contender in the Western Conference. However, his inability to manage Ja Morant and his on- and off-court issues played a role in his surprise exit at the end of last season.

The 41-year-old certainly deserves another chance as a head coach in the NBA and has shown he can develop talent. This is a must-have trait for the Bulls’ next coach. Jenkins will get some good pieces to start in Matas Bouzelis and Josh Giddy.

tom thibodeau

In the NBA, you have rarely seen a coach returning to a franchise after a breakup. But other than a few good seasons from Scott Skiles at the turn of the century, Tom Thibodeau is the only coach who has pushed the Bulls back into title contention since the Michael Jordan era.

Yes, his inability to reach the NBA Finals since being fired by Chicago in 2015 continues. But he showed with the New York Knicks that he still knows how to turn a program around and make them a consistent playoff contender. This is what the Bulls need right now. A strong, capable coach who has mastered the art of turning teams into very competitive units year after year.

Sam Cassel

Sam Cassel had a really good 15-year career as a player, winning three NBA championships. But since 2009, he has built a strong reputation as a top assist during several stops, including with the Los Angeles Clippers and currently the Boston Celtics.

For many years, he has been viewed as someone who is worthy of the head coaching job, and it is only a matter of time before a franchise finally gives him a chance. He should definitely be considered for Chicago.

Mika Nori

Another top assistant who has been linked to multiple head coaching jobs over the past few years is Minnesota Timberwolves assistant, Micah Nouri. He’s been learning on an NBA bench for 17 seasons and with five different teams. Of the various assistants in the game, there is none more prepared and respected than Nori.

chris quinn

Miami Heat assistant coach Chris Quinn is a man who is sure to get a top job soon. He has been with the organization for 12 years and is Erik Spoelstra’s top assistant. The Heat and their culture is one of the most respected in the game due to their potential. Quinn is one of the franchise’s greatest retainers and can bring to Chicago what has worked for him over the past decade.

After earning a journalism degree in 2017, Jason Burgos worked as a contributor to several sites, including MMA Sacca… More about Jason Burgos

On Monday evening, the Chicago Bulls picked up one of their most impressive wins of the season by defeating the Houston Rockets at home. The Bulls hit a steady stream of clutch shots in this one, which was enough to offset a big scoring night from Rockets star Kevin Durant.

Still, the Bulls are increasingly likely to miss the playoffs after a disappointing 2025-26 season, and according to a recent report from Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times, a divorce between Chicago and head coach Billy Donovan could happen this summer.

Cowley reported, “There is growing momentum around the building that Donovan can step away from the mess and take a season to reevaluate what he wants out of the profession.”

Many have thought Donovan has been on the hot seat for quite some time, with the Bulls having been eliminated in the play-in tournament each of the last three seasons by the Miami Heat, no less.

However, Cowley pointed out that, “While Donovan is the ultimate optimist and is no closer to coaching, six seasons in now with no proven elite talent, he is instead being asked to build a brick house out of straw and clay.”

In fact, the Bulls didn’t have any true star-caliber players on their roster during Donovan’s stay, and though the team now has a glimpse of a direction with Josh Giddy, Matas Buzelis, and potentially another young talent depending on how the draft lottery works out in May, it’s still been a tough effort for Donovan to turn this roster into a competent team.

In any case, the Bulls will next take the field on Wednesday evening against the Philadelphia 76ers.

On Thursday, the Chicago Bulls were back in action from the All-Star break and defeated the Toronto Raptors at home. Head coach Billy Donovan was recently absent to care for his family. his father diedBilly Donovan Sr.

Before the game, Bulls issued a tribute To Donovan Sr., according to ClutchPoints.

The Bulls honored the passing of head coach Billy Donovan Sr., father of head coach Billy Donovan, before tonight’s game versus the Raptors.

(via @DravesZachary) pic.twitter.com/ui1abaibg3

– ClutchPoints (@clutchpoints) 20 February 2026

Billy Donovan Sr. was a standout player at Boston College, where he finished as the No. 3 top scorer in program history with 1,102 career points. He was a first lieutenant in the army.

Billy Jr. later began playing basketball and played in college at Providence. In 1987, he was part of the team that reached the Final Four. Ultimately, Billy Jr. became the head coach at Florida and led them to two consecutive NCAA Championships in 2006 and 2007.

After his father passed away, colleagues like Rick Pitino sent my best wishes. Meanwhile, the Bulls are 24-31 and on a six-game losing streak.

Donovan has been the head coach of the Bulls since the 2020–21 season. Till now he has made a record of 195-205. Additionally, Donovan led the Bulls to the 2022 NBA Playoffs, in which they were eliminated in the first round by the Milwaukee Bucks in five games.

Previously, Donovan was the head coach of the Oklahoma City Thunder from 2015 to 2020. He compiled a record of 243–157. His current overall coaching record in the NBA is 438–362. In 2025, Donovan was Inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

Meanwhile, Wes Unseld Jr. has taken over as interim head coach.