Bulls Coach Billy Donovan Gives Scouting Reports on New Staff Hires

Billy Donovan details new Bulls coaching staff hires originally appeared on NBC Sports Chicago

The 2020-21 Bulls roster is set to look pretty similar to last season’s team -- at least to start. But the team’s front office and coaching bench come overhauled, their player development staff bolstered.

In comments to reporters (over Zoom) on the first day of preseason media week across the NBA, new head coach Billy Donovan dished on his latest hires, who comprise a staff that’s early chemistry he said is strong.

The most important thing to me was not only getting people with high basketball acumen but I really wanted to get great people,” Donovan said. “I think we have some great guys here, from the current staff and both guys we brought in.”

Here’s everything else Donovan had to say on his most recent hires:

Maurice Cheeks, Assistant Coach

Cheeks, a Chicago native and DuSable star that played 15 NBA seasons and has since accumulated 24 years of coaching experience (15 years as an assistant, 620 games across parts of nine seasons as a head), served on Donovan’s staff for all five of his seasons with the Oklahoma City Thunder.

I always tell him he’s a far better person than he was a player, and he was a great player,” Donovan said of Cheeks. “He’s a great guy.”

That compliment carries weight considering Cheeks’ playing career earned him a spot in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. He earned four All-Star nods and five All-Defense selections as a player, and started 92 games (including playoffs) for the title-winning 1983 Philadelphia 76ers.

“I think having a former player and a former coach like Mo in terms of him being able to discuss and communicate his experiences is invaluable not only for the players but even for our staff. He’s just got  wealth of experience and knowledge, he has an incredible way about him,” Donovan continued. “He really really knows the team dynamics, staff dynamics, he’s the guy that connects people, and really generates and creates chemistry. I think that’s important. I know Otto (Porter Jr.) and Thad (Young), Zach (LaVine) have spent a lot of time talking to him, which is great.”

Josh Longstaff, Assistant Coach

Longstaff joins the Bulls after a two-year stint on Mike Budenholzer’s staff -- which involved some G League duties with the Wisconsin Herd -- in Milwaukee. 

He previously worked as a player personnel coordinator, player development coach and video analyst with the Thunder (2010-14), and as a player development and assistant coach with the New York Knicks (2014-16). During the 2017-18 season, he led the Erie BayHawks -- at the time the Atlanta Hawks’ G League affiliate -- to a 28-22 regular season record and an Eastern Conference finals berth.

“When he was the G League coach for Milwaukee I tried to hire him. He stayed on with Bud in Milwaukee, and I have a lot of respect for Josh,” Donovan said. “Great worker, really good relationship with players, really knows the game.”

Like Cheeks and Donovan, Longstaff was a point guard during his playing days at Portland High School in his hometown of Portland, Maine, and Bryant University.

Of his role on the staff, Donovan said: “Player development, scouting, working on our defense. I think he’ll do a great job there.”

John Bryant, Assistant Coach

Bryant worked on Brett Brown’s staff with the 76ers from the 2016-17 season through 2019-20 after two years as an assistant with their G League affiliate, the Delaware 87ers. He also played four years at St. Joseph’s (2001-2005), sharing three of them with Jameer Nelson and Delonte West.

“John Bryant, I did not work with, but I know Brett Brown very well, I know (76ers assistant coach) Jim O’Brien very well. People speak of [Bryant’s] character and who he is as a person,” Donovan said. “He and Josh work closely on the defense and he’ll also work on the player development and scouting as well.”

His acumen for building relationships comes touted.

Damian Cotter, Assistant Coach

Cotter, who grew up just outside Melbourne, Australia, coached the Windy City Bulls last season after assistant stints with the Capital City Go-Go and Long Island Nets, and one season as the head coach of the Sydney Kings of the Australian NBL.

“The other person who’s in charge of player development is Damian Cotter,” Donovan said. “He’s been a great guy to get to know and work with, extremely hard worker, he’ll be a big part of player development and scouting.”

Billy Schmidt, Assistant Coach

Schmidt was an assistant for Donovan in Donovan’s final season with the Florida Gators, then followed him to Oklahoma City, where he’s worked as a quality control coach, assistant coach and Director of Quality Control over the past five seasons.

“He was with me for one year at Florida, he came and did a lot of quality control in OKC, now he’s an assistant coach helping out with player development and scouting,” Donovan said. “On-court coaching. He was great.”

Key Retentions

Paul Miller, a former video coordinator who’s been with the Bulls since 2013, stays on as assistant to the head coach. “He’s going to do a lot of quality control. He and I will work closely on a lot of projects and things like that,” Donovan said.

Chris Kent, a video coordinator, is also back. Joining him in that role is Billy Donovan III, Donovan’s son, after spending the 2019-20 season in the Phoenix Suns’ video room.

And, of course, Chris Fleming, who just completed the first of a three-year contract as one of Jim Boylen’s marquee assistant hires, returns as an assistant as well.

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