'Box office': Former NBL big man cutting film for Josh Giddey

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A new season and new roster is bringing new expectations for Josh Giddey's Chicago Bulls.

With that has also come a new coaching staff with former NBA big man Tiago Splitter leading the way from the sidelines after an impressive first season as a head coach with the Portland Trail Blazers.

But part of that coaching staff also has an NBL flavour to it with a man doing the behind-the-scenes work to try and help Giddey and the Bulls, who have added star lottery pick Caleb Wilson and veteran scorer Norman Powell, make a rapid rise up the Eastern Conference standings in season 2026-27.

That coach is former NBL import big man Delvon Johnson.

Johnson, who played for the then Wollongong Hawks under Rob Beveridge during the 2017-18 season, is the new video coordinator for the Bulls in Splitter's staff which also includes the likes of veteran coaches Wes Unself Jr, Rex Kalamian and the newly retired Taj Gibson.

The 37-year-old had a decorated playing career following his college hoops days at the University of Arkansas, where he also played alongside another former NBL import in sharpshooter Rotnei Clarke.

Johnson played across Europe before joining the Hawks, who missed the playoffs with a 12-15 record despite boasting a talented roster, led by US import Demetrius Conger. He then went on to play state league in Queensland for the Sunshine Coast Phoenix before then spending another seven seasons in Europe and 14 seasons professionally across the world.

The 6'9" athletic big man then hung up the boots after the 2024-25 season and joined the Charlotte Hornets' G-League affiliate, the Greensboro Swarm, as a Basketball Operations Assistant where he helped the team win a G-League championship last season.

Johnson now teams up with Giddey, who spent the 2020-21 season in the NBL as a Next Star with the Adelaide 36ers, after Splitter replaced Billy Donovan as head coach.

Having a face familiar with the NBL isn't rare for Giddey at the Bulls after former Sydney Kings coach Damien Cotter was an assistant under Donovan since the 2020-21 season.

On NBA Media Day, Splitter said the Bulls didn't want to skip any steps despite an improved roster, which has also paired lob threat Nic Claxton alongside Giddey, giving the Aussie a big man he really hasn't had in his career so far.

“Of course, we want to win every game, we want to compete every night. But we can’t forget how those guys are developing, how is our identity, culture, our standards (developing)," Splitter said.

After day one of training camp, Splitter also praised Giddey for helping his teammates adapt to his system quickly, especially the fourth pick in this year's draft in Wilson.

"Josh is a very, I'll say this, a river player. He sees the game, he sees all the gaps, he cuts, finds the shooters, he plays tall, so he sees everything," Splitter said.

"That's always good, the shooters, the cutters, for the guys that are active, the guys that he wants to activate a little bit, the plays that we want to run.

"I told Josh, you know, we had a bunch of triple-doubles last year, but you've got to take care of the ball, too... So, he's got to be smart with those, I don't need him to be cute, I need him to be effective.

Splitter also spoke about the importance of having Claxton providing an above-the-rim threat in pick and roll situations with Giddey.

"That's important. You've got to have a guy that can pass like Josh, you've got to have Nick that can put pressure on the rim, and then you have a couple shooters around," he said.

"That always helps your offence, your flow, the balance of your offence."

The Bulls open their pre-season schedule against the Pheonix Suns on October 8.