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After a ton of speculation surrounding Tiago Splitter's head coaching prowess heading into the offseason, he has secured a top job — but not with the Portland Trail Blazers.
Splitter has agreed to become the next head coach of the Chicago Bulls, ESPN's Shams Charania reported Monday, officially removing his name from candidacy for Portland's vacancy after being the team's interim head coach in 2025-26.
Splitter, 41, is now set to lead a franchise without that interim tag for the first time, seeking to build off the success he found in Portland.
Here's what to know about the Bulls hiring Splitter.
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Why did Bulls hire Tiago Splitter?
After Splitter's playing career, which included a 2014 title with the Spurs and stints with the Hawks and 76ers as a center, he entered the NBA coaching ranks — and he quickly became a rising star, spending time as an assistant in Houston and Brooklyn before joining Chauncey Billups' staff in Portland for the 2025-26 season.
As it turned out, an unfortunate situation allowed Splitter to show off his ability to lead a team as a coach. When Billups stepped away from the Trail Blazers due to his involvement in the NBA's gambling controversy this past season, it was Splitter who was named the interim coach.
Under Splitter, the Blazers made the playoffs for the first time since 2020-21, winning 42 games with a younger roster and winning one game against the Spurs in the first round before their playoff exit. For the most part, it was a successful campaign for Portland based on expectations — and considering the circumstances Splitter dealt with, he was viewed as a candidate to take on the Trail Blazers' full-time role moving forward.
However, despite interviewing for Portland's full-time job — which owner Tom Dundon was reportedly looking to keep on the cheaper side — Splitter now winds up in Chicago, where he'll have an opportunity to expand upon the coaching prowess he showed in 2025-26.
Per ESPN, the Bulls also had three other finalists for their vacancy: Minnesota Timberwolves assistant Micah Nori, Atlanta Hawks assistant Ryan Schmidt and current Bulls assistant Wes Unseld Jr. Ultimately, they settled on Splitter due to "his ability to lead the team's player development, organizational alignment on the franchise's direction and vision, and his leadership and knowledge base as a coach rising through the ranks since 2018."
The Bulls, who have made the playoffs just once since 2017, have been mired in mediocrity for years. After Billy Donovan's exit, they were looking for a hire that could lead their young core back toward the postseason, which is exactly what Splitter just did in Portland.
Splitter will now be leading one of the NBA's most historic franchises, but one that has fallen from grace a bit over the last decade. As Chicago enters a new era, Splitter will be the voice tasked with guiding players like Josh Giddey, Matas Buzelis and whoever the Bulls settle upon with the No. 4 pick in the draft.
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