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Important update on 1476AMGiddey: I'm ready to be THAT guy in Chicago
Jaiden Sciberras • April 21st, 2026 9:07 am
Josh Giddey is ready to be that guy in Chicago.
One of sports’ most storied franchises, the Chicago Bulls were once unstoppable.
Six NBA Finals appearances for six championships across the 1990s led by head coach Phil Jackson and the Michael Jordan, Chicago’s reign of yesteryear was one of sports folklore.
However, that was where it ended for the Bulls. Just one conference finals appearance since 1998, Chicago is yet to find its feet off the back of the Jordan era.
Some of that can be credited to misfortune – Derrick Rose’s infamous 2010-11 season saw the Bulls fall short to Miami’s super-team in the East, before ultimately crumbling following Rose’s heart-breaking ACL injury in the following season.
The Jimmy Butler era was as exhilarating as any, however once again, the Bulls fell victim to LeBron James' Cavaliers in 2014-15 and were unable to challenge deep into the playoffs.
Just one play-off appearance since 2016-17.
But 23-year-old Aussie star Giddey is ready to change that.
“Every player would tell you the same thing – that they are (ready to be that guy) – but there’s a lot that comes with it,” Giddey told SEN’s Whateley.
“Obviously in a big city like Chicago, the fans… there is a lot of external noise and pressure, but I’ve always loved that and I’ve never let it get to me.
“I’ve always been very, very confident in who I am as a player, and I’ve always listened to the voices that are close to me.
“Chicago – they want to get back to winning. It’s got to be done by committee, but as a point guard and a leader of the team, a lot of it weighs on my shoulders.
“I love that responsibility, and I’ve got to find ways to be able to get us back into those winning ways. Whatever that means for me to do, I’ve got to do it.”
The Australian phenom, taken by the Oklahoma City Thunder with the sixth overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, was traded to the Bulls in exchange for veteran defensive specialist Alex Caruso in June of 2024.
Since joining the Bulls, Giddey has taken on the role as the primary ball-handler, averaging a near triple double in a 31-win season.
Reaching career-highs in points, rebounds and assists, Giddey's average of 17, eight and nine across the season reflected the team-first nature of the 23-year-old's game.
But as Giddey explains, those stats mean very little if the team isn’t winning.
“The stats are one thing, but those stats need to accumulate and translate into wins,” he said.
“They are great and all, but if you’re not winning games… what is it really for. That’s kind of the way I see it.
“Rallying people around me, getting guys on the same page, being able to lead guys and do it consistently – there’s 82 games, so it can be easy to… ‘I don’t feel it this night, take a night off’.
“Being able to be consistent, I think that’s the most important thing, but it’s got to be done by committee.
“We all have to buy into it, we all have to be committed for 82 games, and as a leader and the point guard of the team, it’s my job to be able to rally guys together and get us going for all 82.”
Speaking with Gerard Whateley, Giddey touched on the spectre of Jordan in Chicago, his experience in the NBA and how he plans to navigate his off-season.
Listen to the full interview with Josh Giddey below:
