The Chicago Bulls have hired Quincy Pondexter as head coach of their NBA G League club, the Windy City Bulls. The hire was confirmed by K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Sports Network, as reported by Yardbarker.
Pondexter, 38, brings a blend of NBA playing experience and recent college coaching background to the role. He played for five teams, including the Bulls, from 2010 to 2019, and has been coaching as an assistant at his alma mater, the University of Washington. After serving with the Huskies from 2021 to 2024, he spent one season at USC before returning to Washington for the 2025-26 campaign.
Replacing Billy Donovan III
The decision comes a couple of weeks after the Bulls thanked Billy Donovan III for his time as head coach, according to Sports Illustrated. Donovan III, son of the Bulls' former head coach, led the Windy City Bulls for each of the last two seasons. It remains unclear whether Donovan III departed on his own or if new front office leader Bryson Graham initiated the change, as noted by Sports Illustrated.
Background and Coaching Path
Pondexter's transition to coaching began shortly after his playing career ended. He accepted an assistant role with the Washington Huskies, where he had played college basketball and was selected in the first round of the 2010 NBA Draft. He served on the Washington staff until 2024, then joined Eric Musselman's staff at USC, before returning to Washington for the 2025-26 campaign.
Although Pondexter has no NBA coaching experience, Sports Illustrated described the choice as "a pretty fascinating choice" for the G League opening, noting that the role is one where an organization should feel comfortable taking a swing. The outlet highlighted Pondexter's respected NCAA voice and his years of NBA playing experience as assets in this adjustment.
Context and Outlook
The Windy City Bulls have finished with a losing record in each of the past three seasons, as reported by Yardbarker. The Bulls are beginning a rebuild, and Pondexter has recently played a role in developing young athletes, according to Sports Illustrated. The article named Noa Essengue, Jaylin Sellers, and Dailyn Swain as potential players for the Windy City squad and suggested that the previous regime did not use the G League affiliate extensively for development or scouting.
Pondexter, who set a goal of becoming an NBA head coach toward the end of his playing career, now takes a significant step toward that ambition by coaching Chicago's G League affiliate.