Bryson Graham, Bulls EVP of Basketball Operations, Introductory Press Conference

0:00 Thank you everyone for being here.

0:04 First of all, I want to start with our fans.

0:07 Um, I want to actually I need to say

0:13 I'm sorry because the results obviously just haven't been there.

0:19 It's not something I'm proud of and it's something that I want to get right.

0:25 Ultimately, it flows up to me and I take responsibility.

0:28 So I do feel that today is a step in the right direction.

0:36 It's an important step.

0:39 When we started this process about a month ago,

0:43 we said we wanted to be really deliberate.

0:46 And we started with a what I would say is a giant list of names.

0:51 names that we had already accumulated,

0:54 names of people that reached out to me, names that our search firm added.

0:59 And we took that giant list of names and we made it into a long list of names.

1:04 And we did our homework.

1:06 We interviewed a number of people.

1:09 And the thing that was really clear to me from this process was that there

1:15 are a lot of good people that are capable of running an NBA franchise.

1:23 We we met with some incredible candidates,

1:26 but at the end of the day, Bryson clearly just stood out.

1:32 So why Bryson?

1:36 I think it starts with he's not about shortcuts.

1:45 And I know a lot of people have talked about

1:48 Bryson's age and so he while he's young in age, he's not even 40 yet.

1:53 He's old in experience.

1:56 He's worked his way up from the ground level.

1:59 I He started at the New Orleans.

2:02 Was the Hornets at the time?

2:03 Yeah, it was the Hornets at the time.

2:04 Now Pelicans.

2:05 started there what 15 years ago and he started

2:08 as a uh as an intern and one of his jobs

2:12 as an intern was at night they didn't even have their own

2:15 practice facility they they rented space but it was his job

2:18 to clean up the practice area every night but of course

2:23 from there he grew he ended up being involved in player

2:26 development video coordinating scouting director then he oversaw then he became

2:32 director of scouting he became assistant GM He became a general manager.

2:37 Those no shortcuts.

2:40 That experience, he understands what it's going

2:43 to take to build a winning organization.

2:48 During the time that I met Bryson over the last few weeks,

2:52 some of the traits that I would say about Bryson are that he's thoughtful,

2:57 he's disciplined, he's measured, he's intentional,

3:02 and he communicates with clarity and conviction.

3:06 And throughout this process, those qualities consistently stood out.

3:10 But at the end of the day, it still comes down to talent evaluation.

3:15 It doesn't matter what we do up there,

3:19 if the players can't play, we're not going to be successful.

3:23 And one thing that came out clearly is that he is a elite talent evaluator.

3:30 And we did our homework.

3:31 We talked to people that have worked with them.

3:33 We talked about we talked to people in the NBA

3:35 who just know of Bryson and everything was absolutely clear.

3:40 The guy gets it.

3:41 He is a unbelievable judge of talent.

3:43 I think he understands today's players.

3:46 I think he's disciplined in his approach to talent evaluation.

3:50 And I think that's incredibly important because we're in a moment in time now

3:55 where we're headed in this off seasonason and we have two first round picks,

3:59 two second round picks, a boatload of money to spend,

4:03 and we have a great opportunity, but we got to get it right.

4:07 I think when it comes to talent though,

4:10 I think Bryson understands it's not just whether a player is good or bad.

4:13 I think he looks at it holistically.

4:15 He understands that it's got to be the right fit.

4:18 So, how does that player fit into the system?

4:21 What is he going to be like from a culture standpoint?

4:24 What's he like in the locker room?

4:26 Does he belong in this building?

4:28 Those things matter.

4:31 Then, when it comes to leadership and communication,

4:34 he just connects with people.

4:36 Whether it's players, scouts, staff, players, families,

4:40 which by the way is really important.

4:42 Bryson gets it.

4:45 And I think it part of his success is that people trust him.

4:48 They know that he's genuine.

4:50 They know that he's prepared.

4:52 And they know that he's a thoughtful person.

4:54 And I think that's part of his leadership style.

4:57 He's a he's a listen first person.

5:01 Someone who wants to understand first what he's hearing

5:03 and then he wants to respond with clarity and purpose.

5:06 And that's something that's really important for me from a culture standpoint.

5:09 He's going to get the best out of the people

5:11 because they know that he has their best interest at heart.

5:16 And I think that's really important.

5:18 But at the end of the day, we still got to build the right team.

5:22 And when I was spending time with Bryson, the one thing was clear.

5:25 He knows he's not a one-man operation,

5:27 nor does he want it to be a one-man operation.

5:30 He wants incredibly strong and smart people around him.

5:35 whether it's scouting, strategy, health and wellness, player development,

5:39 it's really important that he has the brightest and smartest people,

5:42 people that are really capable, people that have a seat at the table,

5:45 whose voices are heard, and that's going to be really important.

5:47 And I think that self-awareness is critical and a leader.

5:52 So, I go back to like a month ago when I talked about what we wanted.

5:58 I said I wanted someone who's processoriented, conviction,

6:03 someone who's a good communicator, someone who understands trends,

6:07 talent, team building, a great evaluator, a collaborator,

6:12 and someone who can lead a complex organization.

6:17 Bryson checks all the boxes.

6:21 So now, as we go forward,

6:23 we need to build this thing into a sustainable contender.

6:26 We need the Bulls to be relevant again,

6:29 but we need to be realistic about where we are.

6:33 But we're committed to doing this right.

6:35 So whether it's the resources, whether it's the time and the effort,

6:39 we're going to build a foundation.

6:41 We're going to elevate this organization.

6:43 We're going to make our fans proud again.

6:47 Eventually, we want to compete at a high level year in year out.

6:50 And we do want to have a real chance at competing for championships.

6:54 So that is going to be the bull standard.

6:57 So with that, welcome to the Chicago Bulls family.

7:01 Thank you, Michael, Bryson, and Graham.

7:03 I appreciate that.

7:04 I think that's my cue to take it from here.

7:07 Um, first of all, um, thank you, Michael.

7:12 Um, this is this is unbelievable.

7:17 I mean, I I'm always going to be transparent and just be myself.

7:22 That's all I know how to be.

7:23 And this is uh this is this is unreal.

7:26 When Michael called and told me I got the job,

7:31 I'm not afraid to uh say this, I started crying.

7:34 I was I broke down, man.

7:36 I was I was like because this organization means so much to me.

7:43 And um but first, let me let me give all glory

7:48 and thanks to God um who's the head of my life.

7:52 and he's just given me an an incredibly amount of of favor and grace.

7:55 And so I want to make sure I I give him um give him honor.

8:00 I want to thank Jerry.

8:01 I want to thank Michael and Nancy

8:03 for believing in me and giving me this opportunity.

8:07 I want to thank my family who are who are here.

8:11 My dad couldn't make it.

8:12 He's probably too nervous so [laughter] he stay so he stayed home.

8:16 Um but um my mom uh my dad, my sister, my brother,

8:22 they they just gave me such a great

8:24 foundation and they were always super super supportive.

8:28 That is so important if you have kids to make them believe

8:31 that they can do anything [clears throat] and they did that for me.

8:35 My wife, she is big time.

8:39 This job is hard.

8:41 you're gone a lot.

8:42 And she has made a ton of sacrifices for me over the years.

8:48 We've been married for uh shoot 12 years.

8:53 It's crazy.

8:55 Um yeah, we've been married for 12 years.

8:57 We got three kids.

8:59 My oldest is Kinsley.

9:01 My young, my middle is Harper.

9:03 And then my youngest is Brave.

9:04 We His name is Grayson.

9:05 We call him Braves.

9:06 Y'all see him running around the gym.

9:08 Uh he's over there.

9:09 So, I love y'all and I thank you all so much for just being my my my rock,

9:15 you know, and and and supporting me.

9:18 Um, so yeah, after all the crying and everything was over,

9:22 start thinking about, all right, how we want to, you know, build this.

9:26 And we had such great conversations, such such great conversations.

9:31 The interview process with Turnkey and the search firm, it was it was awesome.

9:35 Um this wasn't something that was just done

9:39 like you know there were multiple conversations very

9:42 thorough we covered everything you can think

9:44 of and um at the bot the bottom line

9:48 is yeah we want to win championships and we want to build a culture that can

9:53 sustain a high level of competitiveness in this league

9:57 that becomes harder and harder every year.

9:59 is so competitive and we're going to do that with the right people.

10:03 They're going to help create the right culture and we're going to put

10:07 the right team on the floor and we're just going to compete every single night.

10:11 When I look around and like I said,

10:14 it's amazing for me because I grew up obviously a Bulls fan.

10:19 If you played basketball in the 90s, 85% of the kids,

10:23 90% 90% of the kids, I don't care where you're from.

10:27 I grew up in San Antonio.

10:28 Yeah, I got some love for the Spurs.

10:30 Grew up, you know, I ain't gonna lie.

10:32 But it did not supplant what the Bulls meant to me.

10:35 And when I think about it and I

10:38 think about the greatness that's in this building

10:40 and what's in these rafters and the championships that have uh been won here.

10:47 It's uh it's amazing.

10:49 It impacted my life more than I thought I knew.

10:55 Um because I was always chasing what this organization represented.

11:00 So you see MJ and obviously I wanted to be him, right?

11:04 Like just like everybody wanted to be, you know,

11:06 I wanted that but it carried over into other aspects of my life.

11:12 So like my work ethic, uh my determination, my grit,

11:16 I would I'm watching the Bulls and what

11:18 they displayed and I'm like that's what I want.

11:22 And so tore my ACL multiple times when I was playing at Texas A&M Gigum.

11:28 Um, but that grit started when watching

11:33 this and I want to bring that back and there's

11:38 a kid out there that's just like me

11:40 that can be inspired by this organization and keep climbing,

11:46 you know, and um and that's what we're going to do.

11:49 That's what we're going to do.

11:50 We're going to pull our pull our sleeves up.

11:52 We're going to get to work and we're going to get out the mud.

11:54 And um I'm not afraid of the work.

11:56 And you know, we're going to get started here pretty soon.

11:59 So, I open up questions.

12:02 Get us started.

12:04 Go ahead, John.

12:07 Uh Bryson, you know, I've talked to my name is John Greenberg from the Athletic.

12:11 Nice to meet you.

12:11 I've talked to some people about you, you know,

12:13 this week and I've heard a lot of great things and one thing

12:16 was that you're not afraid to disagree

12:18 with people and that you were af, you know,

12:21 running the draft room in New Orleans or whatever that you

12:23 would give your input but do it in a nice way.

12:25 How do you mix your personal style,

12:28 I guess, with, you know, getting the job done?

12:30 Yeah.

12:30 So, one of the things philosophically I

12:32 believe in there's no there's no bad idea.

12:37 And I want to hear from everyone that's that's in the room.

12:41 And I've always been someone that uh for better

12:45 or for worse is going to share my my my opinion.

12:49 And um I think that added to the process in New Orleans.

12:53 I think it added to the process in in Atlanta.

12:56 And that's what I want here.

12:57 I want an open collaborative and very uh communicative organization

13:03 because who knows it doesn't matter about the position everyone

13:07 in this room could have something that could add

13:10 to the uh the ultimate decision of making the right decision.

13:15 And so so yeah I I want to take in what everyone says.

13:19 I'm going to process that and then you know

13:21 I'm going to end up making making that decision.

13:23 But I want an open and collaborative um open and collaborative group.

13:31 Julia, you mentioned that getting the people right is going

13:34 to be a huge part of this these hires coming up first.

13:39 So how do you want to approach filling

13:41 out the rest of your staff and that decision?

13:43 What are your priorities?

13:45 Yeah, so look, we we've got a lot, you know, obviously ahead of us.

13:49 there are very very good people and talented people in the building already.

13:54 So as I hit the ground, you know,

13:56 we're not we're not starting from obviously ground zero.

13:59 I want to um you know, obviously bolster, you know, our staff.

14:04 I want to add to um you know, our strategy space.

14:07 I want to add to our personnel space.

14:11 Um I think that's necessary.

14:13 Um but but look like you know we're we've got a long way obviously

14:19 you know to go and there's a lot of you know decisions that are going

14:22 to be made but um I think right now where we're where we're at I

14:25 think we're in a good place and I'll get started on that here pretty soon.

14:30 Casey

14:30 Bryson Casey Johnson with the Chicago Sports Network.

14:33 Uh Michael touched on your eye for talent evaluation.

14:36 You hear that basically in every conversation around the league about you.

14:39 How do you think you develop that skill and how

14:42 do you continue honing that skill as the game evolves?

14:45 Yeah, I I think just experience, you know,

14:46 from playing and then working in the video room that really really was helpful,

14:50 like extremely helpful.

14:52 So, my second year in the league,

14:53 Monty Williams, who's someone who I um you know,

14:58 really look up to and he was a mentor of mine early on.

15:00 I was his video coordinator and I

15:02 also worked in player development on the court.

15:05 And so watching a ton of film and understanding how the NBA game is played,

15:11 um that really really helped me develop it.

15:14 And then also, I'm not going to lie to you,

15:16 so much of it is also like your intuition,

15:19 you know, like so much of like the experience of watching games,

15:22 watching players, remembering certain things about certain players,

15:25 and you've been around long enough,

15:27 you can draw inference from, you know, one player to the next.

15:30 So you could say, "Oh man, he's just like ex player that didn't make it,

15:34 or he's just like this player that did make it." And so

15:37 I think the combination of just being around it for a long time,

15:40 watching a lot of film,

15:41 and also working in on the on the floor, it it really helped me.

15:46 Hi, Will Gi with CHGO.

15:49 Um I'm curious about your just evaluation of the roster as it stands right now.

15:53 I know there's a lot that's going to change with the draft and lottery

15:55 and cap space and all that, but just kind of curious of your opinion

15:58 of the roster and and maybe the vision that you have for whatever

16:02 it is that you're trying to build as far as uh a longer term,

16:06 more methodical approach or maybe something that you

16:08 feel like you can get this flipped more quickly.

16:10 Like what's kind of your opinion and vision for that?

16:12 Yeah, I mean I think it's it's going to take time.

16:14 It's it's going to take time.

16:16 I think the roster we're in a developmental stage right now.

16:19 I think everyone in here knows that we're not where we want to be,

16:24 but we've got four picks in this year's draft.

16:27 We own all of our picks going forward.

16:29 We've got a ton of second round picks

16:32 and um we got ton of flexibility this summer

16:34 and so we just want to be smart and we

16:38 want to be also creative and op opportunistic, right?

16:42 But we're going to obviously take our time.

16:44 you know, this is not going to be

16:46 something that's going to be going to be rushed,

16:48 but this is the beginning stages.

16:50 All right?

16:51 You know, we've got some pretty good young players,

16:53 but we know that this this draft is going

16:56 to be the first real layer to this foundation going forward.

17:04 [clears throat] Jamal Collier from ESPN.

17:06 Congrats to you, man.

17:06 Thank you.

17:07 Uh my question is for Michael however uh you talked about

17:11 sort of building a sustainable winner and and that just what

17:14 has to be different on your end as far as you

17:16 know commitment to resources that you're giving your front office is

17:21 far as luxury tax how uh willing are you willing to pay

17:24 that building out a front office just kind of from your perspective

17:28 do you feel like there has to be a shift

17:29 or maybe more of a financial commitment to empower your executive

17:36 I actually I look back at the history of the Chicago

17:38 Bulls and you know I'm looking around this practice facility.

17:42 This is our second practice facility.

17:44 The first practice facility was the first

17:46 privately owned practice facility in the NBA.

17:49 So we've always been about spending the resources.

17:54 Um for some reason there's been a narrative that that wasn't the case.

17:58 um each administration has been given the responsibility to spend the you

18:04 know tell tell us where where you want to spend the money.

18:08 So I don't mean to push this on you but it's going to it's going to be Bryson.

18:12 Bryson's going to tell us here's what I need.

18:15 We need to add in this area or hey we're

18:18 good here but maybe we need to add someone below that.

18:20 Um, as far as the luxury tax,

18:24 obviously there's specific penalties for being in the, you know,

18:28 luxury tax and the second apron and all that.

18:30 And now we got to manage that.

18:31 No team wants to be in there.

18:33 But if we're competing for championships,

18:35 we expect that we'll probably be in the luxury tax and totally okay with that.

18:39 I don't want to be in luxury tax for a team that's not in the playoffs,

18:42 but if he did, then he wouldn't be the right guy.

18:45 [laughter] Sam uh Sam Smith with the bulls.com.

18:52 [clears throat] I wanted to Michael has mentioned many

18:55 times several times about the autonomy that you'll have

18:59 and I wanted to follow up on the roster point that was brought up.

19:03 Um these are none of your players.

19:05 You're inheriting everything.

19:07 Sure.

19:07 So who you have total autonomy presumably you can do whatever you want.

19:12 Is there anyone in your view on this roster that's untouchable?

19:18 That's funny you asked that.

19:19 Um, you know, look, I I really don't I

19:23 don't want to in respect to the guys, right?

19:27 Um, answer something like that.

19:31 I mean, that's that's that's tough, right?

19:32 I mean, there's only a few probably players in the NBA,

19:35 let's be honest, that are untouchable, and even them, you can get them, right?

19:39 So, that's just the nature of the of the beast.

19:42 you're going to listen on every player and that has nothing

19:45 to I'm not taking anything away or I'm not not trying to strike

19:49 fear in the guys that on our roster but that's just the nature

19:52 of this of this business and so no I'm not I'm not

19:56 going to sit here and say that you know no one

19:58 on this on this roster is untouchable you know but that doesn't mean

20:02 that we're trading guys I think we're going to come in we're

20:04 going to look at this holistically and and then we're going to proceed

20:09 I have one more [clears throat] one of Maybe one of the bigger questions.

20:13 You have plenty, but is the cap room this summer?

20:17 So, supposedly Bulls have the most or as much as anybody.

20:21 And what's your philosophy as far as you touched on a little bit,

20:25 but use the cap room to add a player so that the team could,

20:29 you know, have a veteran be better or use the cap

20:33 room for purposes to add things to help you in the future?

20:37 What What's your philosophy on using the salary cap space?

20:41 Yeah, I I think that's a great question.

20:44 It really it all depends.

20:45 It depends on what's what's best for us in that moment.

20:49 It might be signing a player.

20:51 It might be throwing an offer sheet on a restricted agent, a free agent.

20:55 It might be, you know,

20:56 taking in and being an offramp for a team and taking in picks.

21:00 You have to be open to every avenue because that's where we're at right now.

21:04 We're we're not in a place that we're going to be

21:07 adding players and competing for a championship in the 26 27 season.

21:12 This is a time for us to grow and build and layer it the right way

21:16 and we'll make the right decision.

21:17 I'm I'm confident in that.

21:21 Gavin, hi Bryson, Gavin Dorsy, Roundtable Sports.

21:23 Welcome to Chicago.

21:24 The previous regime was often criticized for failing to commit to a rebuild,

21:28 spending a lot of years in the playin.

21:30 Um, how do you define what a real rebuild looks

21:33 like and how will fans know that this time is different?

21:37 Well, I mean, a real rebuild, you can look at the record, right?

21:39 I mean, you know, just being honest, you know,

21:42 um, and also, right, like most most rebuild,

21:47 you know, situations is when you don't have star caliber,

21:51 you know, players, right?

21:53 So, um, right now, not to say that we don't have

21:57 anyone on this roster that can get there, but until we,

22:01 you know, continue to obviously draft well, add to this add to this mix,

22:06 um, and add more just overall talent and team identity.

22:11 Yeah, you you are we are in the rebuilding

22:13 phase and you we're extremely young, too.

22:16 So, um, that's how I'll define, you know,

22:18 what the rebuilding phase, uh, what what a rebuilding team looks like.

22:23 And I think that's where we are right now.

22:25 I'm not going to be up here and mince words and say like we're further along,

22:29 you know, if we just add a couple of pieces because that's not the case.

22:32 And I hope that, you know, as fans, you know,

22:36 we kind of understand where we're at and we're going to get there,

22:38 but like I said, I want want to keep

22:40 on saying this is that it's going to take time.

22:42 Drew

22:44 Drew Stevens the bigs Bryson Oh, there you are.

22:48 You obviously had to sell yourself throughout this entire process,

22:51 but interviews go both ways.

22:53 What did you need to hear from Michael and company

22:55 to make you feel like this was the right partnership for you?

23:01 Really?

23:01 Look, there are 30 of these opportunities and this is the Chicago Bulls.

23:06 I mean, Michael really didn't have to sell me on much of anything.

23:10 I'm just I'm just being honest with you.

23:12 This is um you know a lot of people are from here.

23:16 They've been here for a very long time.

23:18 Me walking into this gym like I feel the weight,

23:23 you know, and I want that pressure.

23:26 Um it motivates me.

23:27 It gets me going.

23:29 There was nothing that Michael needed or Jerry

23:33 needed to sell to me for this job.

23:36 I'm humbled enough to know that I was chosen.

23:39 I didn't choose them, you know.

23:41 So, um, yeah, to answer your question,

23:44 there was this is an unbelievable opportunity

23:46 that I'm ready to take full advantage of.

23:49 Saying there were no questions that you had

23:52 for Michael that you needed to hear answers to.

23:54 Yeah, I mean, of course.

23:56 I'm asking I'm asking questions,

23:58 but what am I going to am I trying to be com combative?

24:01 You know, you know what I mean?

24:02 Like I mean, I think what he's I think what he's saying is,

24:04 did you talk to me about resources and all that?

24:06 Absolutely.

24:07 That all came out naturally in our conversation.

24:09 It was never it was never an issue.

24:11 I mean, yeah,

24:13 but I will tell you that when we interviewed other people, you know,

24:16 they asked some questions like that, but I

24:18 think it was clear in this process that Bryson was going to have the resources

24:22 and the runway to, you know, to make this right.

24:25 Yeah.

24:25 And and I'm, you know, trying to answer your question,

24:27 I'm sorry, that if that's more what you were looking for.

24:30 um yeah that we had we had obviously questions and answers about

24:34 you know the resources and things like that and yeah we're fully aligned

24:39 uh Matt's on CBS Chicago over here

24:41 I was kind of going to ask what Drew was asking but along

24:44 those lines of you know asking questions of the organization you know

24:47 Michael opened by saying the results haven't been there what gives you

24:51 the confidence that you can do what others haven't been able to do here

24:55 that's a good question um I mean it's not going to be just me

24:59 It's going to be the people that I put around me and work with me.

25:04 We're going to do this together.

25:05 And that's from the performance room.

25:07 That's from the communications department to the coaching staff,

25:12 cap strategy, [gasps] evaluation, every aspect of this.

25:16 I don't ever want to put this on I have the answer because I don't.

25:20 If I'm the smartest person in the room, we're going to fail.

25:24 And so I'm going to make sure that we add the right group of people

25:28 and we're going to pull in the right direction and we're going to win games.

25:32 So it's not about me, it's about the Chicago Bulls as a whole.

25:39 Mike over here, Mike McGra, Daily Herald.

25:41 Uh Bryson, um there's a lot of the the teams

25:44 you worked for had a lot of different job titles,

25:46 a lot of different people on the on the directory.

25:49 What would you say were your main duties with the the Hawks and the Pelican

25:54 in the later years of the Pelicans and any

25:56 areas of expertise any u authorities that you had?

26:02 Yeah.

26:01 the overseeing personnel, you know,

26:04 when David Gri David Griffin came uh to New Or New Orleans,

26:09 um I over saw um the draft process

26:13 and that was like the my real first responsibility like like

26:17 really strong responsibility of taking ownership of something

26:21 of that magnitude of who are we going to to draft?

26:26 Um, and obviously I touched every other aspect of it,

26:29 performance, uh, player development and things of that nature.

26:33 I was involved in everything, but personnel was where I lived.

26:41 Andy, Andy, um, Andy, Bryson, uh, where do things stand in the coaching search?

26:49 How far along are you in that process?

26:51 And what are some of the traits you're looking for in a candidate?

26:56 Yeah, so to be honest with me just obviously getting to Chicago,

27:01 um have not started a search,

27:04 have not put a list together of candidates or or anything of that nature.

27:09 Um probably don't plan on doing that for, you know, another another week or so.

27:15 But in terms of, you know,

27:16 what I would say we're looking for, we're looking for, uh,

27:20 someone that's obviously smart.

27:22 Um, we're looking for someone that can lead and someone of really,

27:26 really high, uh, character.

27:29 And we want also want somebody that's, when I say smart,

27:32 they're good on both sides of the ball.

27:34 I think a lot of times now you have coaches

27:37 that lean towards offense and they lean towards defense and that's fine,

27:42 but we're gonna try to find a coach

27:44 that can coach both sides of the ball and care

27:47 about both sides of the ball and then develop

27:51 um these guys as they're obviously young in their careers.

27:54 So, um to answer your question,

27:56 those are some of the things we'll be looking for.

27:58 We're going to take a few more.

27:59 Paul, go ahead.

28:00 Hi, Paul Sullivan, Chicago Tribune.

28:02 Congratulations.

28:03 Thank you.

28:03 Um, and this could be for Michael, too.

28:05 Uh, the the great Bulls teams have always stressed defense and they've kind

28:09 of gotten away from that the last couple years with some higher scoring teams.

28:12 Would that be something you would emphasize when you build this roster or Yeah.

28:17 is it matter to you?

28:18 Absolutely.

28:18 And me and Michael, you know, talked about, you know, the importance of

28:23 defense and establishing an identity on that side of the floor,

28:27 especially when you're a younger team and you have younger players.

28:30 Um, when you compete on the defensive end,

28:33 your team typically plays harder and you're starting

28:36 to see it a lot in the playoffs.

28:38 Teams that are having success are very, very good on that side of the ball.

28:43 So, we want obviously two-way players.

28:44 I'm not going to take away from the offensive side, but I mean,

28:48 I refer to it as guys that have slap size, length, athleticism, and physicality.

28:54 And that physicality is going to be felt on the defensive side of the ball.

28:57 David David Hoff from the score from CHSN.

29:01 Congratulations, Bryce.

29:02 Thank you.

29:02 Thank you.

29:02 I was told this week in talking to somebody

29:04 from New Orleans that at one point in time you had in your phone a photo of you

29:09 on your first day as an intern unloading boxes.

29:12 Yeah.

29:12 I was just curious if you have that photo still in your phone and if you do,

29:15 what that represents to you.

29:17 Yeah, I I do.

29:18 Um it represents a lot because you know you're you're starting

29:23 from the bottom and obviously I was the lowest on the totem

29:27 pole you know coming in which is expected which I think

29:31 a lot of people think that you know when you get

29:33 into the NBA you are uh you're just like given everything

29:38 and that's not the case you know you really have to put

29:41 you know put the time in and so that photo

29:43 to me just means like that's who I am you know Um,

29:48 I don't mind doing the the little things that are necessary.

29:52 Um, you know, whatever it looks like, you know,

29:57 obviously this position [sighs] is it's a lot, right?

30:02 But it's just a title, you know, like the work is what matters.

30:07 And I got to be ready to pull up my sleeves because we're at the ground floor.

30:12 And that that picture represents that to me.

30:14 like this is where you started and this is back where you're at again.

30:17 A different title, but this is where you're at.

30:21 Dion Miller from ABC7.

30:22 Welcome.

30:23 We're excited that you're here.

30:24 Um, in light of that, this whole moment has to feel incredibly surreal.

30:28 Um, so how excited and prepared, I guess, do you feel for a challenge like this?

30:33 How did you know you were ready to take on something like this?

30:36 Yeah, I I don't think you I believe I'm ready,

30:39 but you you know, you probably never know you're really ready.

30:42 It sounds like having a kid, right?

30:44 like I think I'm ready to have children and it's

30:45 like until you get it you're like [laughter] oh my god

30:48 you know um I feel this I feel the same

30:50 way and it's because of my experiences that Michael alluded to.

30:55 I started out you know as an intern and went from an intern

31:00 to the video uh to being the headto coordinator and player development coach,

31:04 player development coach to scouting coordinator,

31:06 scouting coordinator to director of college scouting,

31:08 director college scouting to assistant GM, assistant GM to general manager.

31:13 So you like you're checking all these boxes and you're doing so much within

31:17 the organization that it gives you

31:20 the confidence that okay I've checked the boxes

31:24 I didn't skip any steps I can step into this role you know

31:28 and there's like a certain confidence that that just kind of comes with it.

31:31 It's almost like if modest like I'm sure

31:33 the first 30 point game he had he started saying

31:35 to himself like yo I can go get 30 now like I'm nice you know what I mean?

31:39 So, it's it's it's it's kind of like that, you know.

31:41 Um, and it's the same thing for me.

31:44 Last one.

31:44 Go ahead, Sam.

31:46 Yeah, last one.

31:47 Still trying to nail you down on some of these things.

31:49 Okay.

31:50 [laughter] But if you We don't know exactly, you know,

31:53 [clears throat] you were involved with the draft,

31:55 but we didn't know exactly if it was your guys or somebody else.

31:59 But it looked like the profile of the players that you were picking

32:05 Alexander Dyson Daniel sort of long athletic defensive oriented wing players

32:11 switchable kind of thing.

32:12 Is that is that sort of your philosophy that you want

32:15 to bring here those kind of players is 68 across the board

32:19 to a defensive offensive?

32:21 Yeah, that's that you have to be those kind of players.

32:24 You don't have to be those kinds of players,

32:27 but yes, but you we would love to have

32:30 size, length, athleticism, and physicality all across the board.

32:35 And the more versatile you can be, the better you are.

32:39 If whoever's guarding at the point of attack can

32:42 also guard the wing and then switch onto a big, you got something serious.

32:46 Like you're you're really really dangerous now.

32:49 And I think the really good teams, OKC, Boston,

32:54 they have that, you know, like who's who's Boston's point guard?

32:59 You know, I see like JT bring it up.

33:01 I see JP bring it up.

33:03 I see Derek White bring it up.

33:05 It's like they have so much versatility.

33:07 They got so much size.

33:08 They got so much physicality.

33:10 And that's that's where this league is going.

33:14 And that's what the really good teams are are doing.

33:16 And that's kind of how we're going to look

33:18 at our evaluation and that's going to be our approach.

33:21 You know, we we want to be we want we want to be

33:24 tough and we wanna we want to be long and athletic at every position.

33:27 Don't be mad at me, but one little one.

33:28 Oh, yeah.

33:28 Go ahead.

33:29 We're not surprised.

33:30 Yeah.

33:30 Yeah.

33:30 Yeah.

33:30 [laughter] Yeah.

33:31 But ju go back to just the coach thing.

33:34 Is would you like to have a coach who's won a championship,

33:38 experienced veteran kind of guy?

33:41 A lot of the guys who are successful now are Oklahoma City,

33:44 San Antonio, firsttime guys, young kind of grow with the team.

33:49 Sure.

33:48 You know, how do you see that kind of thing?

33:51 Yeah.

33:51 Um, no, I I think you we we me

33:55 and Michael and it's going to be done collaboratively.

33:58 We want the right guy.

34:00 And if I said No, you're you're you're picking him.

34:03 Oh, yeah.

34:03 I'm picking him.

34:03 I'm picking [laughter] him.

34:04 I picked you.

34:05 You get to pick the coach.

34:08 Absolutely.

34:09 Um, but it's a it's a really good it's a good question and I

34:14 don't I don't there's really no real like preerequisite in terms of hey,

34:20 you held a position or you won a championship.

34:24 If that were it, I wouldn't be in this seat, you know,

34:28 and I think about that because you just want

34:33 the most talented person you know you believe in.

34:36 You think about the draft, right?

34:39 Um, I'm not saying that the kid from BYU is the first pick in the draft,

34:45 but he didn't win a championship this year.

34:47 Doesn't mean that he's not talented enough to be

34:49 the franchise player going forward or whatever the case may be.

34:52 And I feel the same way about staff and um, at every point in the position,

34:58 let's find the most competent, most talented people.

35:01 And that could be a coach that you may not even heard of.

35:04 And I might get killed for it.