Tiago Splitter officially took over as Chicago Bulls head coach Wednesday, bringing personal history with the franchise to his new role. The Brazilian native recalled staying up late as a child to watch Michael Jordan lead the Bulls, creating a lifelong connection to the organization that now employs him.

Splitter arrives in Chicago after guiding the Portland Trail Blazers to their first playoff appearance since 2021 as interim coach. He stepped in when Chauncey Billups was arrested in a federal gambling investigation, helping the team navigate intense distraction while posting a winning record. Despite this success, Portland declined to retain him.

The Bulls are hiring Splitter to end their own futility, having suffered four consecutive losing seasons under previous leadership. They hold the No. 4 and No. 15 picks in next week's draft, giving the new coach assets to rebuild immediately. Vice president of basketball operations Bryson Graham led a thorough search before selecting Splitter.

Splitter inherits a franchise desperate for direction. The last Bulls coach to reach the playoffs in year one was Tom Thibodeau in 2011. While Splitter acknowledges the work ahead, his focus remains squarely on establishing culture and competitiveness rather than timeline predictions.