Bulls make Jim Boylen official, naming him associate head coach

The Bulls made it official on Wednesday, naming Jim Boylen the associate head coach on Fred Hoiberg’s coaching staff.

In adding Boylen, Hoiberg now has the ultimate safety net for a first-time NBA coach, getting 29 years of coaching experience, including 17 years of NBA experience. It also comes with some championship hardware, with Boylen spending the last two seasons on Gregg Popovich’s staff in San Antonio.

“I am very excited to add Jim to our staff as our associate head coach,’’ Hoiberg said in a statement. “His track record speaks for itself with nearly 30 years of coaching experience and three NBA championships on his resume.

“His work ethic and attention to detail will help our team every day, and I look forward to working with him as we prepare for next season.’’

Boylen began his NBA career during the 1992-93 season with the Houston Rockets, where he broke in as the team’s video coordinator/scout. He was eventually promoted to the staff after four seasons, working under then head coach Rudy Tomjanovich. Besides the Spurs and Rockets, Boylen has been an assistant with Golden State (2003-04), Milwaukee (2004-05) and Indiana (2011-13).

“We are fortunate to be able to add someone with the credentials that Jim has,’’ Bulls General Manager Gar Forman said. “He will be a big asset to Fred and our players.’’

As far as the rest of the staff, Adrian Griffin went through the interview process with Hoiberg, but opted to leave the Bulls and work in Orlando with new head coach Scott Skiles. Long-time assistant Mike Wilhelm is staying put with the Bulls, leaving two spots to be filled.

The key as far as Hoiberg was concerned, however, was landing Boylen. Not only because of his defensive philosophies, but also to make sure that Hoiberg is prepared for the grind of the NBA coaching position after only coaching at Iowa State before the Bulls hired him.