One Bulls player offered a strong endorsement of the team's latest hire, just minutes after it happened.
Chicago guard Zach LaVine learned Tuesday night the Bulls had hired former Thunder coach Billy Donovan while streaming "Call of Duty" on Facebook Gaming.
"Oh damn, we got Billy Donovan as our next coach," LaVine said. "I swear. Just came out. Wow. That'll be good. ... Really good coach."
LaVine reacts to Bulls hiring Billy Donovan while streaming COD on Facebook Gaming pic.twitter.com/9f8tOFBhxJ
— Stephen Favetti (@stephenfavetti) September 22, 2020
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LaVine also tweeted out his support in response to the team's official announcement.
🙏🏽🙏🏽👊🏽👊🏽
— Zach LaVine (@ZachLaVine) September 22, 2020
Donovan, 55, takes over in Chicago after compiling a 243-157 record over five seasons in Oklahoma City. His contract expired following the Thunder's first-round exit from the 2020 NBA playoffs, and both sides decided against an extension, opening the door for the Bulls to pursue one of the top candidates on the market.
"We are very pleased to welcome Billy and his family to the Chicago Bulls. The success that he has sustained over the course of his coaching career puts him on a different level," Bulls executive vice president of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas said in a team statement. "We feel his ability to help his players reach their potential, both individually and collectively, will mesh well with our roster.
"Whether as a player or as a coach, he has won everywhere his career has taken him, and we hope that will continue here in Chicago."
Now Donovan will be expected to help turn around a franchise that has missed the playoffs in four of the last five seasons. It doesn't hurt that he appears to already have the Bulls' leading scorer on his side.
