The Chicago Bulls’ decision to hire Billy Donovan as their next head coach didn’t exactly sit well with one of the best players in the franchise history. Hall of Famer Scottie Pippen recently told Forbes that he isn’t “impressed” with the choice Bulls made.
“I’m not impressed with what [the Bulls] did,” said Pippen. “I don’t think that they have made any dramatic changes that are going to change who they are as a team. That’s just my personal opinion.”
According to Pippen, Donovan didn’t “prove anything” during his time in the league and isn’t the right man to turn around Chicago’s fortunes.
“I like Billy Donovan as a person, but I don’t think he’s proved anything in the NBA that proves he’s worth investing in and bringing a team up that needs help like Chicago does,” he added. “They’re a team that has been struggling for a long time.”
Billy Donovan proved himself on the college level, winning two NCAA Championships with Florida. However, he failed to replicate this success during his five seasons in NBA with Oklahoma City Thunder. After making Conference Finals in his first season at the helm, Donovan experienced four straight first-round playoff exits since then.
In Chicago, Donovan will be tasked with getting back the Bulls to playoffs for the first time since 2017. He replaces Jim Boylen, who was fired in August after posting a 39-84 record in the past two seasons.
