After a legendary 17-season grind, Taj Gibson, the second-oldest active player in the league, officially hung up his sneakers on Monday! Released by the New Orleans Pelicans last week, Gibson isn’t just walking away from the court; he’s immediately joining the Chicago Bulls’ coaching staff under Tiago Splitter for the 2026-27 season. Talk about a full-circle moment! This Brooklyn native, who was the 26th overall pick in 2009 out of USC, is heading right back to where it all started. You love to see it when a veteran like Taj gets to transition like this.
From Rookie Grind to Sixth Man Contender
Gibson debuted as what the league called an “extremely old rookie” at 24 with the Bulls, but he didn’t waste any time becoming one of the best backup power forwards in the game. Remember that 2010 Rookie of the Year race? He finished fifth! And then in 2012, he was fifth in Sixth Man of the Year voting. But the real peak for him was that 2013-14 season. He played all 82 games, averaging 13 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 1.4 blocks, all in a bench role. He was an “extremely close runner-up” for Sixth Man of the Year to Jamal Crawford that year. He was a force! It was in Chicago that he also formed that tight bond with head coach Tom Thibodeau, who coached the Bulls from 2010-15. That connection, man, it paid off big time later.
The Ultimate Thibs Guy Lands in a New Role
When Thibs got canned and the Bulls went into a rebuild, Gibson was out the door. He got traded to Oklahoma City in February 2017 with Doug McDermott and a 2018 second-round pick for Cam Payne, Anthony Morrow, and Joffrey Lauvergne. And get this for an interesting tidbit: that McDermott and the 2018 second-rounder eventually became Mitchell Robinson after a few more trades! In OKC, he started next to Steven Adams for the rest of the 2016-17 season in that crazy post-KD era. But when Thibs landed in Minnesota, guess who followed? Taj! He signed a two-year, $28 million deal and became a full-time starter there, posting 11.5 points and 6.9 rebounds over 153 games as a “grizzled veteran.” Naturally, when Thibs was out in Minnesota, Taj was out too. His most recent chapter saw him sign a two-year, $20 million deal with the Knicks in 2019. He was part of that wild “four PFs” offseason after the KD/Kyrie drama. In New York, David Fizdale and Mike Miller used the 34-year-old as more of a center and a mentor for Robinson, starting 56 of 62 games and playing 16.5 minutes a game as a “shield for a young and erratic” Mitchell Robinson. What a pro.
So, Gibson closes the book on a heck of a playing career. Now, the big question is, what kind of assistant coach will he be for Tiago Splitter and the Bulls? He brings 17 seasons of pure grit and veteran leadership, not to mention that direct connection to the Bulls organization. Bulls fans, you have to be hyped to see him back on the sidelines in Chicago, ready to pour all that experience into the next generation. It is going to be awesome to watch.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Posting and Toasting.
Leave a Reply