Report: Fred Hoiberg Is Bulls’ Choice to Eventually Replace Tom Thibodeau

Iowa State coach Fred Hoiberg has been linked to the Chicago Bulls job for some time now, and the latest evidence for that comes from today’s column by Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports entitled, “Tom Thibodeau makes his last stand with the Bulls.”

Wojnarowski referred to Hoiberg as “management’s choice to ultimately be the replacement.”

Sources close to the situation confirm that the Bulls want Hoiberg for the job, but it remains unclear if he will take it.

Hoiberg is recuperating from open heart surgery on April 17.

“He’s doing all right,” ISU assistant T.J. Otzelberger told the Ames Tribune on Friday.

“I think it’s going to be a process for him to get back in the full swing of things, but Fred’s kind of a bionic man. Somehow everything seems to find its way to working out well for Fred so I’m sure he’s on the road to recovery, but it’s going to be a process.”

Photo: ISU Athletics

Written by Adam Zagoria

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Adam Zagoria is a Basketball Insider who covers basketball at all levels. A contributor to The New York Times and SportsNet New York (SNY), he is also the author of two books and is an award-winning journalist and filmmaker. His articles have appeared in ESPN The Magazine, SLAM, Sheridan Hoops, Basketball Times and in newspapers nationwide. He also won an Emmy award for his work on the SNY mini-documentary on Syracuse guard Tyus Battle. A veteran Ultimate Frisbee player, he has competed in numerous National and World Championships and, perhaps more importantly, his teams won the Westchester Summer League (WSL) championships in 2011 and 2013. He lives in Manhattan with his wife and children.