The Chicago Bulls let Tom Thibodeau go last week and didn’t wait long to bring in his replacement: former NBA player and coach of Iowa State Fred Hoiberg.
Hoiberg has seen plenty of success as a head coach in college – he has an overall record of 115-56 in five seasons with Iowa State – and now will have a chance to prove that he belongs in the biggest stage of them all.
Scottie Pippen, who can frequently be seen sitting somewhere in the front row during Chicago Bulls games to support the franchise he has won six championships with, shared his enthusiasm about the hiring of Hoiberg:
The Bulls got a good one in Fred Hoiberg. I think he’s an excellent fit for this organization at this time.
— Scottie Pippen (@ScottiePippen) June 3, 2015
Hoiberg was a 2nd round pick out of college but he spent 10 years in the league and would’ve played longer if not for health issues.
— Scottie Pippen (@ScottiePippen) June 3, 2015
That to me shows he works his butt off and knows the game. I can’t help but respect that. Those things have translated to how he coaches.
— Scottie Pippen (@ScottiePippen) June 3, 2015
Hoiberg will definitely be a breath of fresh air for the Bulls and fans will love his up-tempo offense. Players will enjoy playing for him.
— Scottie Pippen (@ScottiePippen) June 3, 2015
I’m excited to see guys like Mirotic, McDermott and Snell in his system. Three-point shooters have done well playing on Hoiberg’s teams.
— Scottie Pippen (@ScottiePippen) June 3, 2015
I expect Hoiberg to be instrumental in getting everyone on the same page. It’s going to create a unified culture filled with trust.
— Scottie Pippen (@ScottiePippen) June 3, 2015
He’s got a busy summer ahead but I’m looking forward to see it all play out. As Fred said today, it starts with reaching out to his roster.
— Scottie Pippen (@ScottiePippen) June 3, 2015
Jim Park is a blogger and editor of Sheridan Hoops. Follow him on twitter @SheridanBlog.