Bulls, Boylen agree to reported multi-year extension
Head coach Jim Boylen has agreed to a contract extension with the Chicago Bulls, the team announced Friday.
It's reportedly a multi-year extension, sources told ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski. Both parties were reportedly in talks to finalize a three-year extension in April.
"Jim has a strong vision on where he wants to take this team, and he has done a great job establishing the culture that we want this organization to stand for as we continue to progress," executive vice president of basketball operations John Paxson said in a statement, per the team.
"He has tremendous passion for developing young talent, is a strong communicator, and (is) a good fit for this team. The organization is confident in the direction that he is taking our players, and we are committed to him."
Boylen's new contract will replace the original deal - which took him through the end of the 2019-20 season - he signed in December, according to Wojnarowski. The Bulls bench boss led the team to a 17-41 record after taking over for Fred Hoiberg.
The 54-year-old's first season at the helm had its share of bumps in the road. Boylen's players rebelled against him early during his tenure after he scheduled a practice following a back-to-back - an unusual practice in the NBA. Some players reportedly contacted the National Basketball Players Association in response.
However, the Bulls' ownership and front office continued to support Boylen through the early growing pains.
Before becoming Chicago's bench boss, Boylen spent many years coaching at the collegiate and NBA level. He won back-to-back rings with the Houston Rockets in 1994 and 1995 as an assistant coach under Rudy Tomjanovich.
Boylen served as Tom Izzo's top assistant at Michigan State from 2005-07 before spending the next four seasons as the head coach at Utah, leading the Utes to a 69-60 record and an NCAA Tournament appearance.
Boylen added a third NBA championship to his resume in 2014 with the San Antonio Spurs as a member of Gregg Popovich's staff.