30
Sep
Aussies in the NBA
Chicago bets on 'glimpse of future' Josh Giddey
Australian Josh Giddey #3 of the Chicago Bulls brings the ball up the court against the Miami Heat of an NBA play-in tournament game at the United Center on April 16, 2025 in Chicago, Illinois. Photo: Justin Casterline/Getty Images
Highlights
Josh Giddey re-signs with the Bulls after breakout stretch, securing four-year $100M extension.
- Josh Giddey locks in $100M deal with Chicago
- Josh Giddey's contract 'stalemate' explained
- Latest News: Read more about Aussies in the NBA here
Australian Josh Giddey's performance after the 2025 NBA All-Star Break convinced the Chicago Bulls he was part of the six-time NBA champions future.
"With where we left off and where we’re headed: the last 20 games of the season gave us a glimpse of our future," Chicago Bulls executive vice president of basketball operations Artūras Karnišovas said during the Bulls Media Day in Chicago today.
"We established our offensive identity — ball movement and threes — and, most importantly, we showed cohesion and got better. We were 14th on offense and 9th on defense. Those numbers are encouraging.
"This year, I’m excited for the season with an established and young core. We’re building a strong foundation that will continue to develop while learning to win together. Josh is back; we were happy to re-sign him to an extension — he’s part of our future.
"The ultimate goal is to win a championship, but our immediate focus is growth: what we did well last year and what we must do now.
"There’s a specific way we have to play to win. We watched the playoffs — the physicality is demanding every game.
"Our guys must play that way this year, and we’ll see if they’re capable."
Giddey and the Bulls were involved in an off-season stalemate over his contract extension. Restricted free agent Giddey, 22, wanted USD $30M per season and the Bulls USD $20M. They eventually settled for USD $25M for four years.
Footage of Giddey speaking at Chicago's Media Day is yet to be shared.
Statistical Surge in the New Year
The new year brought continued growth for Giddey. The LaVine trade put the ball in Giddey's hands and played to his strengths as a big, playmaking guard.
Between January and April 2025, the Australian guard elevated his production across the board:
- Scoring: 16.8 points per game (up from 12.3 in the first two months)
- Rebounding: 9.2 rebounds per game (up from 5.7)
- Assists: 7.7 assists per game (up from 6.1)
- Field goal percentage: 48.3% (up from 41.2%)
- Three-point percentage: 38.6% (up from 30.1%)
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