The Chicago Bulls are hitting the court, gearing up for the 2026-27 season. Also, Taj Gibson is beginning his stint as an assistant coach.

Already, the former player is liking what he sees in the throes of practice, per Bulls on CHSN. Overall, he couldn't be happier.

“Every day I'm in practice, I'm just smiling,” Gibson said. “I'm talking a lot of crap, and I'm smiling…I'm just extremely happy to be honest with you.”

Gibson arrives as the Bulls undergo a total revamp after years of struggle. Starting from the top down, Chicago is looking to start anew.

They hired Bryson Graham to head up the front office. Chicago also hired Tiago Splitter, who is coming in to lead the once-disarrayed Portland Trail Blazers into the postseason. Meanwhile, Chicago is eager to see Caleb Wilson blossom in his first season.

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Earlier in the week, Gibson announced his retirement as a player after 17 seasons. His most standout years came when he was in Chicago from 2009 to 2017.

In the Windy City, Gibson helped charter a new era of Bulls basketball, in which the team became playoff-worthy.

He, Derrick Rose, Joakim Noah, Luol Deng, Kirk Hinrich, Jimmy Butler, and others brought a level of exciting play that had been absent since the dynasty years of the 1990s. That included an appearance in the 2011 Eastern Conference Finals.

Now, Gibson is looking to do his part to help get the Bulls to a position where they can become a viable organization.

The preseason begins on Oct. 7 against the Phoenix Suns.