Chicago Bulls: Breaking down potential Jim Boylen head coach replacements

Ime Udoka, Philadelphia 76ers lead assistant coach

A very intriguing choice that the Bulls could pursue for a potential head coaching job is the Sixers lead assistant under head coach Brett Brown Ime Udoka. Most of the speculation to the more attractive of the two hires mentioned in that piece from The Athletic is Udoka. He was brought on board as the Sixers lead assistant coach since the beginning of the 2019-20 campaign.

Prior to holding this lead assistant coaching role with the Sixers, Udoka was a product of head coach Gregg Popovich with the San Antonio Spurs. Udoka was originally brought aboard to the Spurs coaching staff just after his NBA playing days ended, prior to the 2012-13 season. He spent more than six seasons with the Spurs, leaving for that Sixers job at the conclusion of last season.

During his tenure as an assistant coach with the Spurs, Udoka was part of one NBA Championship team. The Spurs beat LeBron James and the Miami Heat to win the title in 2014. One year later, he was a crucial part of the decision for star power forward LaMarcus Aldridge to join the Spurs and leave the Portland Trail Blazers.

Those two played together in Portland during Aldridge’s rookie campaign in 2006-07.

During his playing days in the NBA, Udoka spent most of his career with the Spurs (three seasons and 160 games played in the regular season). He also played for the Trail Blazers, Los Angeles Clippers, Sacramento Kings, New York Knicks, and Los Angeles Lakers.

Udoka is largely credited for the tough defensive system that the Sixers play that resulted in the NBA’s sixth best defensive rating this season.