"The Most Important Thing Is to Build a Culture", Says Tiago Splitter, New Chicago Bulls Head Coach

Tiago Splitter was introduced as the new head coach of the Chicago Bulls, becoming the first Brazilian to coach an NBA franchise. The 41-year-old from Santa Catarina said the work will focus on player development and building a culture for the coming years.

"Sometimes there is a relationship where, when you develop players, that means you’re going to lose a lot of games. And the most important thing in all of this is trying to develop the players and, little by little, have the wins reflect that. The better they develop, the more wins will come in the future," he said at a press conference on Monday (22).

With the Bulls investing in a young core and holding four draft picks on Tuesday (23), Splitter asked Brazilian fans for patience: "We know these young athletes will take some time to improve. We have to be patient; sometimes it is a long process. It is something Brazilians may not be used to seeing. You see this a lot in American sports; those who follow know there is a stage of building their players."

"The most important thing of all is creating a culture. I think it is a word that is rarely talked about in Brazil, but many people try to build it in the United States," the coach added. Splitter won the NBA title with the Spurs in 2014 and, more recently, led the Trail Blazers to the playoffs as interim head coach last season.

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