When Chicago Bulls head coach Billy Donovan sat down with the media on Friday night, he had to know what question was coming his way.
The organization found itself caught up in a shocking rumor 24 hours prior. Long-time local sports reporter Lou Canellis claimed that Giannis Antetokounmpo had previously expressed interest in joining the Chicago Bulls. As shocking as that was to Bulls fans, the report only grew crazier. Not only did the Greek Freak apparently have interest in a trade to Chicago, but the Bulls turned him away.
The concept of Chicago snubbing a Top 3 player in the NBA is incredibly hard to believe, so much so that many have questioned how accurate the report could be. Nevertheless, word has quickly spread around the 312 and beyond, which meant it came as little surprise that Donovan was asked for his thoughts.
Cody Westerlund of 670 The Score shared a video of Donovan’s comments, who stressed that he never heard anything come up behind the scenes about Antetokounmpo.
“I don’t know about any of that,” Donovan said. “I would just say this, like I told you guys, I think they always, and I’m talking about Arturas and Marc when I say they, when stuff presents itself that’s real, they come to me …
If there is something that can potentially happen that’s on the table, something that’s in the works or a possibility, they always come to me or communicate with me. But that situation with Giannis has never been communicated to me one way or the other. Whatever is going on there, they hadn’t come to me with any of that stuff.”
Dec 1, 2025; Orlando, Florida, USA; Chicago Bulls head coach Billy Donovan looks on during the second quarter against the Orlando Magic at Kia Center. Mandatory Credit: Mike Watters-Imagn Images | Mike Watters-Imagn Images
Billy Donovan Comments on Giannis Antetokounmpo Rumors
Now, would Billy Donovan blatantly admit that the Chicago Bulls front office rebuffed Giannis Antetokounmpo even if they did? Probably not. But he could have been a little less direct about the situation had he known something.
Instead, Donovan was pretty insistent that he never heard anything about this potential pairing. And we do know that this front office has valued his opinion tremendously over the year. Let’s not forget that he is currently the third-longest tenured head coach in the NBA behind only Erik Spoelstra and Steve Kerr. He has been in lockstep with this organization ever since they surprisingly hired him in 2020.
Is it possible that the front office heard about Antetokounmpo’s interest and shut things down before speaking with Donovan? Maybe, but that does not necessarily feel on par with the trend they have set.
Likewise, if they actually did do that, one has to imagine Donovan would be pretty upset. Adding Antetokounmpo into the mix sounds like a dream for any head coach, particularly one who has seemingly always had a win-at-all-costs mentality.
Time will only tell if there is more to learn about this whole situation. Regardless of the report’s validity, however, what does appear to be true is that Antetokounmpo’s future in Milwaukee is murkier than ever. The bidding way for the two-time MVP could start at any moment, and doors rarely ever close in the NBA. If the Bulls want to get involved, there could still be a chance.
For more thoughts on what the Chicago Bulls could potentially offer for Giannis Antetokounmpo, be sure to check out our post from earlier this week!