This week’s Chicago Basketball Report takes a look at a Bulls All-Star push, a hot start for the Illinois women’s team and remembers a former Illini men’s basketball great.
Every Tuesday, Tribune writers will provide an update on what happened — and what’s ahead — for the Bulls, Sky and local college basketball teams. Want more? Sign up for our Tribune sports newsletter.
All-Star campaign begins for Josh Giddey
Chicago Bulls guard Josh Giddey goes in for a layup against the Cleveland Cavaliers at the United Center in Chicago on Dec. 17, 2025. (Chris Sweda/Chicago Tribune)
Outside of their lengthy trade to-do list, the Chicago Bulls have another major midseason goal — sending guard Josh Giddey to his first-ever All-Star weekend.
Giddey is barely a top-50 scorer in the NBA, but his All-Star bid relies on the totality of his contributions to the Bulls. The guard is averaging 19.5 points, 9.1 rebounds and 9.2 assists. He racked up seven triple-doubles already this season, second only to Denver Nuggets star Nikola Jokić, who leads the league with 16 triple-doubles.
Giddey exited Monday’s loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves in the third quarter with a hamstring issue, the same night Jokić limped off the court during the Nuggets’ game in Miami with an apparent knee injury.
Despite his well-rounded portfolio, Giddey could be hindered by a new format for the All-Star game, which will consist of a round-robin tournament with two teams populated by 16 total American players and one with eight international players. This means that Giddey needs to stand out amongst the international players — a group that includes Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jokić and Victor Wembanyama.
International players account for four of the top-10 scorers in the league (Luka Dončić, Gilgeous-Alexander, Jokić and Antetokounmpo). Team selections will also be positionless, which means that Giddey is competing against the entire field of international players rather than just the guards. It’s a tall task for a first-year selection — especially for a player from a team currently on the outskirts of playoff contention in the East.
“I think if you look at his body of work and what he’s meant to our team, I don’t think there’s any reason he shouldn’t be considered for the All-Star team,” coach Billy Donovan said. “There may be some people that (believe) winning has a higher priority as they vote — but if you look at the impact he’s had on our team from the start of the season until now, there’s no question he should be in strong consideration for that.”
Illini women off to hot start
Illinois forward Berry Wallace drives to the basket as Missouri guard Shannon Dowell defends on Wednesday, Dec. 10, 2025, in Columbia, Mo. (AP Photo/Colin E. Braley)
The Illinois women are off to the best start in program history after beating Purdue 83-73 on the road to improve to 12-1 and 2-0 in the Big Ten. They have won 10 straight games after a loss to Oregon State on Nov. 14.
But things are about to get a lot tougher for the Illini.
They host undefeated No. 7 Maryland on New Year’s Day, followed by playing at No. 24 Michigan State on Sunday and hosting No. 19 Ohio State on Jan. 7.
Illinois hasn’t beaten a ranked team yet, but it has still been a strong start for a team that replaced most of its starters after last season. After the Purdue game, Illinois coach Shauna Green complimented her team’s resilience in holding off the Boilermakers’ surges.
“For being a young team, they continue to amaze me about how they respond,” Green said on the postgame radio show. “This is loud in there. This is a tough place to play. We’re up 14 and they cut that to seven. And then we score. And then we get a stop. Our players are making plays and playing with a lot of poise.”
Number of the week: 53
Points scored by former Illinois basketball great Dave Downey on Feb. 16, 1963, at Indiana.
That’s still the Illinois single-game record. The Illini are mourning the loss of Downey, who died Saturday at age 84. He was a three-time team MVP and former All-American for Illinois from 1961-63. Downey averaged 18.9 points and 11 rebounds per game over his career, which earned him a spot in the Illinois Athletics Hall of Fame in 2018.
Week ahead: Bulls
Chicago Bulls guard Ayo Dosunmu makes a shot against the Orlando Magic on Monday, Dec. 1, 2025, in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)
Wednesday: vs. Pelicans, 6 p.m., CHSN
Friday: vs. Magic, 6 p.m., CHSN
Saturday: vs. Hornets, 7 p.m., CHSN
Monday: @ Celtics, 6:30 p.m., CHSN
The Bulls will attempt to regain advantage in their head-to-head with the Magic, who currently split the series 1-1. The Magic are fifth in the Eastern Conference, but only 2 1/2 games ahead of the Bulls in the standings. The two teams will meet once more in the final week of the regular season.
Week ahead: Best college basketball games
Illinois guard Keaton Wagler drives against Southern’s Cam Amboree on Monday, Dec. 29, 2025, in Champaign, Ill. (AP Photo/Craig Pessman)
Thursday: No. 7 Maryland women at Illinois, 3 p.m. (Big Ten Network)
Saturday: No. 20 Illinois men at Penn State, 6 p.m. (Big Ten Network)
Saturday: Minnesota men at Northwestern, 4 p.m. (Big Ten Network)
Saturday: Xavier men at DePaul, 1 p.m. (FS1)
Sunday: Illinois women at No. 24 Michigan State, 11 a.m. (Big Ten Network)
Sunday: No. 18 Notre Dame women at Duke, noon (ACC Network)
The New Year means the thick of conference play. The Illinois women are diving into a tough bunch of Big Ten games, while the Illinois men have a couple of lighter tests against Penn State and Rutgers before their schedule ramps up.
Northwestern could use the services of leading scorer Nick Martinelli as the Wildcats get into January. Martinelli missed a loss to Butler with a concussion.
What we’re reading
Quote of the week
“I’m assuming Giannis was mad about that report that came out the Bulls didn’t want to trade for him.” — Nikola Vučević about Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo, who prompted a scuffle after throwing down a windmill dunk in the dying seconds of a 112-103 win over the Bulls.