Bulls name Fred Hoiberg as 19th head coach.
CHICAGO — Fred Hoiberg saw a deep and talented roster with a chance to contend for a championship, and an opportunity that was too good to pass up.
The long rumored pairing of Hoiberg and the Chicago Bulls became official Tuesday when the former NBA guard and executive left Iowa State to become the franchise’s 19th coach, replacing the fired Tom Thibodeau.
The Bulls are hoping a new voice is what they need to contend for a title after a 50- victory season ended with a loss to LeBron James and the banged- up Cleveland Cavaliers in the NBA Eastern Conference semifinals.
“I love this roster,” Hoiberg said. “I absolutely love this roster. I love the versatility of the players, the different lineups that we’re going to be able to play. You can play small, you can play big. You’ve got lineups that I think can really get out and play with pace. You’ve got a great group of veteran players that know how to play.
“I think Tom Thibodeau is an excellent, excellent basketball coach, and I think he instilled a lot of unbelievable qualities in this team that hopefully I can build on.”
Hoiberg went 115- 56 at Iowa State and led the Cyclones to four consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances and back- to- back Big 12 Tournament titles. He had open- heart surgery in April.
He takes over a team that struggled through injuries during the season and bowed out with a listless loss to the Cavaliers in Game 6 of the conference semifinals. By then, Thibodeau’s relationship with management had evaporated and he was let go last week.