Taj Gibson is retiring as a player and will join Tiago Splitter's coaching staff with the Chicago Bulls as an assistant coach. The veteran forward announced his retirement on social media Monday after 17 seasons in the NBA. Gibson played his final season with the Memphis Grizzlies in 2025-26, appearing mostly as a veteran presence. He was originally selected by the Bulls with the 26th pick in the 2009 NBA Draft. Gibson spent his first eight seasons in Chicago, becoming a fan favorite for his tough defense and rebounding. During that stretch he averaged 9.2 points and 6.3 rebounds per game over seven seasons. He finished in the top ten for Sixth Man of the Year voting three times, including a runner-up spot in 2013-14. Gibson's coaching interest grew through his work at the NBA Top 100 camp where he mentored high school prospects. Now he begins his first NBA coaching role on Splitter's bench in Chicago. The Bulls recently lost their last two games, falling to the Dallas Mavericks 149-128 on April 13 and the Orlando Magic 103-127 on April 11. Prior to that Chicago beat the Washington Wizards 119-108 on April 9 and 129-98 on April 7. They also lost to the Phoenix Suns 120-110 on April 5 and the New York Knicks 136-96 on April 3. Gibson leaves the game having played for eight different teams over his career. His departure marks the end of an era for a player who embodied Chicago's gritty identity during the Tom Thibodeau years alongside Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah.