Basketball Hall of Famer Billy Donovan steps down as Bulls head coach after 6 seasons

After six seasons arsenic the Chicago Bulls caput coach, Billy Donovan decided to measurement down from his role, the squad announced Tuesday.

The Bulls, who fired enforcement vice president of hoops operations Arturas Karnisovas and wide manager Marc Eversley 2 weeks ago, wanted Donovan backmost successful the fold. But Donovan held an enactment successful his declaration for adjacent play and opted out, according to ESPN.

"After a bid of thoughtful and extended discussions with ownership regarding the aboriginal of the organization, I person decided to measurement distant arsenic the caput manager of the Chicago Bulls, to let the hunt process to unfold. I judge it is successful the champion involvement of the Bulls, to let the caller person to physique retired the unit arsenic they spot fit. My gratitude for this assemblage and this enactment is permanent," Donovan said successful a connection released by the team.

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Chicago Bulls caput manager Billy Donovan reacts during the archetypal fractional against the Dallas Mavericks astatine American Airlines Center successful Dallas, Texas, connected April 12, 2026. (Kevin Jairaj/Imagn Images)

"I beryllium truthful overmuch to my players and unit implicit the past six years. You each person worked broadside by broadside with me, time successful and time retired to thrust the Bulls enactment forward. And a immense convey you to Bulls fans, your energy, passionateness and unwavering enactment provided a home-court vantage that is mostly unmatched astir the league."

Team proprietor Jerry Reinsdorf said helium wanted Donovan to instrumentality for different season.

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Chicago Bulls caput manager Billy Donovan speaks with defender Mac McClung during the 2nd fractional against the Dallas Mavericks astatine American Airlines Center successful Dallas, Texas, connected April 12, 2026. (Kevin Jairaj/Imagn Images)

"Billy Donovan is 1 of the finest radical and coaches I person had the privilege of knowing and moving with. He brought people and genuine attraction to this enactment that made a existent interaction connected people. We wanted Billy to proceed arsenic our caput manager — that was ne'er successful question," Reinsdorf said successful a connection released by the team.

"But done honorable conversations, we each agreed that giving our caller Head of Basketball Operations the close to physique retired his unit was the astir important happening for the aboriginal of this franchise. That is the benignant of idiosyncratic Billy is — helium enactment the Bulls first. We are profoundly grateful for everything helium has fixed to this organization."

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Chicago Bulls caput manager Billy Donovan reacts during the 2nd fractional of a crippled astatine United Center successful Chicago, Illinois, connected April 5, 2026. (Kamil Krzaczynski/Imagn Images)

Donovan, 60, was elected to the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame successful 2025. The New York autochthonal wants to proceed his coaching career, according to ESPN’s report.

In six seasons with the Bulls, helium went 226-256 and made the playoffs once, successful the 2021-22 season, erstwhile the Bulls mislaid successful 5 games. Prior to coaching the Bulls, Donovan coached the Oklahoma City Thunder for 5 seasons, going 243-157 and making the playoffs each 5 seasons.

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