The Chicago Bulls began the week with a major development. Fan favorite Taj Gibson called it quits on his playing career and will become an assistant coach for the Bulls.

Gibson's heyday came during his time with Chicago, where he played from 2009 to 2017. He played alongside other Bulls beloveds, including Derrick Rose, Joakim Noah, Luol Deng, and Kirk Hinrich.

They, along with former player-turned-executive John Paxson and beat writer Sam Smith, appeared in a tribute video for Gibson. Each of them described what it meant to play with or bear witness to Gibson.

No surprise, each of them heralded Gibson. They credited him with helping revive the organization in the early 2010s.

Noah specifically cited Gibson's epic dunk over Dwyane Wade in Game 1 of the 2011 Eastern Conference Finals.

“It was more than just an iconic dunk,” Noah said. “It was a moment I think we all felt as players; this is our time.”

We asked D-Rose, Joakim, and other Bulls legends what it meant to play with Taj Gibson: pic.twitter.com/yTQWZT0hyl

— Chicago Bulls (@chicagobulls) September 14, 2026

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The Bulls lost to the Miami Heat in six games.

Meanwhile, Rose championed Gibson for being the teammate of everyone's dreams. A guy who kept it simple, looked out for everyone, and prioritized his loved ones first and foremost.

“Someone who was very close in the locker room and someone who is a winner at heart,” Rose said. “The person who cared about everyone and his family.”

From 2009 to 2015, Gibson and the Bulls made the postseason. Now, he will be part of the effort to do what he did as a player and now as a coach.

That is to make the Bulls a viable organization again.