17-year, $92.3 million NBA veteran Taj Gibson hangs up basketball sneakers in a latest move, gets new role in Bulls

Taj Gibson has closed the book on a 17-year NBA career; however, he's not going far from the game. The 41-year-old forward announced his retirement on Monday, then turned right around and joined Tiago Splitter's coaching staff in Chicago, the same city where his career began back in 2009.His final months as a player were a series of jerseys. Memphis traded him to New Orleans last week, and the Pelicans waived him almost immediately. Instead of chasing a 15th roster spot somewhere else, Gibson picked the bench in a different sense, choosing to return to the franchise that drafted him.Taj Gibson announces retirementTaj Gibson made the call himself; he posted the news on social media rather than waiting for a team release. "It's the beginning of a new chapter," he wrote. He described walking away with no regrets. “After 31 years of basketball, I can walk away with no regrets, knowing I left everything on the floor. God has truly blessed me.”Across 1,012 career games, Gibson averaged 8.3 points and 5.7 rebounds, suiting up for eight franchises total: the Bulls, Oklahoma City, Minnesota, New York, Detroit, Charlotte, Memphis and briefly New Orleans on paper. He was a 6-foot-9 forward taken in the first round of the 2009 draft, and he spent his first seven-plus seasons defending for Tom Thibodeau's Chicago teams.Taj Gibson gets new NBA role in Chicago BullsGibson's new title is assistant coach, and he'll report to Splitter, who was hired in June. He joins a staff that already includes Wes Unseld Jr., Blake Ahearn, Jamelle McMillan, Rex Kalamian and Jonah Herscu. Some fans wanted a playing reunion once New Orleans cut him loose, but Chicago's front office, led by Bryson Graham, went a different direction. Handing him a coaching seat instead of a roster spot keeps the Bulls' final open slot flexible.Word of the move spread fast around the league. Former teammates and organizations from Minnesota and New York, two stops where Gibson left a mark, praised both his staying power and his shift into coaching. That kind of respect travels, and it should help him now that his job is about accountability instead of minutes.His last stretch on the court was modest by design. Memphis signed him in February, played him in just 10 games, and got 3.4 points and 2.7 rebounds a night out of him. It wasn't about production at that point. He was the second-oldest active player in the league behind LeBron James, and teams wanted him around for what he brought off the stat sheet. Over 17 seasons, Gibson earned roughly $92.3 million in salary, according to Hoopshype.Get the latest Sports News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.