NEWSLETTER
When you’re a Chicago Bulls team that struggles to win more than 22 games in a season, practically any win is worth celebrating. However, last night’s victory over the Washington Wizards was especially worthy of popping champagne.
Not only was that the team’s first win of the season, but it was their first win under a revamped front office and coaching staff. And the players decided to commemorate this moment by handing their new head coach, Billy Donovan, the first game ball of the season.
Isn’t that just so stinking sweet? Well, it gets even sweeter. After Donovan accepted the player’s gesture, he turned around and handed right to Arturas Karnisovas – the Bulls new mastermind.
Reporters asked Donovan about the team’s off-court celebration, and the first-year Bulls head coach couldn’t hold back his smile.
https://twitter.com/BN_Bulls/status/1344119026537136134?s=20
Awwwwww.
Re-living the moment only got that much more fun when Coby White wanted to make sure that people knew Zach LaVine was the first to think of recognizing Donovan in the locker room.
https://twitter.com/chicagobulls/status/1344126905893724160?s=20
Double Awwwww.
I know this doesn’t feel like that big of a deal. And, in the grand scheme of things, it’s not. At the same time, it kind of tells us a lot about what is going on behind the scenes. I mean, just ask yourself, do you think we would have ever seen this same kind of appreciation-fest under the previous regime? The fact that these players were so quick to pat their head coach on the back demonstrates exactly the reason Donovan was a priority for this organization. If last night’s strong play wasn’t enough to show you that he is getting this team to buy-in, their response after the game should.
Of course, it only takes a string of bad losses for things to potentially go south, and one game ball isn’t going to change the fact that everyone has a lot of work to do to turn this franchise around. However, with that said, this is a small yet refreshing gesture that continues to prove times have changed in Chicago. And they’ve changed for the better.
