It may still be in its first season, but Fred Hoiberg’s tenure as coach of the Chicago Bulls doesn’t sound like it’s going well.
According to ESPN’s Chris Broussard, a number of players in the Bulls’ locker room have lost faith in Hoiberg.
“Some of them have said it publicly – Jimmy Butler, Taj Gibson to a certain degree,” Broussard said on ESPN. “A lot of them don’t believe in Fred Hoiberg right now. It’s just as simple as that.”
The whispers out of the Bulls’ locker room have been building for months now. Jimmy Butler has voiced his displeasure. Joakim Noah has reportedly been clear about his. It’s possible that there’s something in Hoiberg’s perceived ability or philosophy that the players simply do not like.
On the other hand, these are the same players that revolted against Hoiberg’s predecessor, Tom Thibodeau. Thibodeau was strict, but he won. Hoiberg seems to be a kinder, gentler figure who hasn’t won as much. Perhaps this is just a volatile group of players, or perhaps the Bulls haven’t found a suitable balance as far as coaches go. Perhaps it’s a combination of both.
