Seventeen years after beginning his NBA career in Chicago, Taj Gibson has announced his retirement from professional basketball. The 41-year-old is expected to remain with the Bulls organization, with reports indicating he will join first-year head coach Tiago Splitter’s staff as an assistant coach.
Gibson spent the first eight seasons of his career with the Bulls after Chicago selected him with the 26th overall pick in the 2009 NBA Draft. He later played for seven other teams before finishing his career with the Memphis Grizzlies in 2026.
Taj Gibson Announces NBA Retirement
The USC product played in 1,012 games, starting 462 of them. He averaged 8.3 points and 5.7 rebounds per game while shooting 51.7% from the field.
“Today is a very emotional day for me,” Gibson said in the social media post announcing his retirement. “After 17 seasons in the NBA, I can honestly say I gave this game everything I had. Basketball gave me the opportunity to live a dream. As a kid from Brooklyn, N.Y., I was lucky to get a chance to display my talent on the biggest stage.
From Fort Greene Projects to USC, to the Chicago Bulls, and every team and city that came after, I’m grateful for every moment, every teammate, every coach, and every person who believed in me. I wanted to be the guy my teammates could count on someone who brought toughness, energy, leadership, and heart every time I stepped on the court.
“To my family, my friends, my teammates, my coaches, my agent, the NBA, NBPA and the fans, thank you. You were all a part of this journey. But this isn’t goodbye to basketball. It’s the beginning of a new chapter. After 31 years of basketball, I can walk away with no regrets, knowing I left everything on the floor. God has truly blessed me.”
Gibson’s Career With The Chicago Bulls
Gibson earned NBA All-Rookie honors after the 2009-10 season when he averaged 9.0 points and a career-high 7.5 rebounds per game. He had his most productive seasons in Chicago, peaking in the 2013-14 campaign when he averaged a career-high 13.0 points per game.
He played on six Bulls playoff teams and the team made its deepest run in 2010-11, reaching the Eastern Conference finals.
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Taj Gibson’s NBA Teams
Gibson also played for the Oklahoma City Thunder (2017), Minnesota Timberwolves (2017-19), New York Knicks (2019-22, 2023-24), Washington Wizards (2022-23), Detroit Pistons (2024) and Charlotte Hornets (2024-25) before finishing with a ten-game stint for the Memphis Grizzlies (2026).
Taj Gibson To Join Bulls Coaching Staff
Gibson is expected to join the Bulls’ staff headed by first-year head coach Tiago Splitter.
(With inputs from Reuters)
