I still remember when Fred Hoiberg first came to the Bulls. Everyone was buzzing about this guy, calling him an “offensive guru.” They said he was the one who could finally bring some modern basketball to Chicago. I was pretty stoked, not gonna lie. I mean, the Bulls had been stuck in their old ways for a while, and it felt like we needed a change.
So, Hoiberg steps in, and there was this huge expectation that he’d turn the team into a three-point shooting machine. After all, he was a sharpshooter himself back in the day. The hype was real, and I, along with many Bulls fans, was ready for a new era of basketball.
I started digging into his past, you know, just to see what this guy was all about. Turns out, he was a pretty solid player in college, known for hitting some big shots. Even got the nickname “The Mayor” at Iowa State. Pretty cool, right? He was also a coach at Iowa State, and he did pretty well there, even taking them to the Big 12 tournament championship.
I even found an old interview he did with The Athletic. He talked about his time with the Bulls, his health, and his playing days. Seemed like a genuine guy who really loved the game.
But then, reality started to set in. I remember watching games, and it just wasn’t clicking. The offense wasn’t flowing like everyone thought it would. We’d see flashes of brilliance, but then there were those frustrating fourth quarters where it all fell apart. It was a rollercoaster, and not always a fun one.
I started noticing that Hoiberg seemed a bit stressed. I mean, coaching in the NBA is no joke, especially with a team like the Bulls. There’s a lot of pressure, and it can take a toll on anyone. One time, after a particularly tough loss, I saw him in a post-game interview, and he just looked exhausted.
People started talking, of course. Some folks were saying he wasn’t the right fit, that the team needed a different direction. Others defended him, saying he needed more time to implement his system. It was a constant debate among Bulls fans, and I found myself going back and forth on it too.
Then came the news that the Bulls were letting go of their current coach, Jim Boylen. I was not surprised, to be honest. It had been a long time coming. It felt like a necessary move, even though it was tough to see another coach go. I later learned that they tried to trade players for draft picks which also made it harder for the team to perform well. Then a couple years later, they finally hired a new coach.
Looking back, I think the Hoiberg era was a mix of hope and disappointment. We all wanted it to work out so badly. He had the potential, the background, but it just didn’t fully translate to success with the Bulls. It’s a tough business, and sometimes things just don’t go as planned, no matter how much you want them to.
Recently, I heard that Hoiberg got a contract extension with Nebraska. They even gave him a raise! Seems like he’s doing great there, leading them to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in a while. I’m happy for him. Maybe it just wasn’t the right time or the right fit with the Bulls. But hey, that’s life, right? You learn, you move on, and you find your place. And it seems like Hoiberg has found his.
