Kevin Young, the head coach of BYU basketball, will not become the next head coach of the Chicago Bulls, as the franchise is instead finalizing the hire of Tiago Splitter, the former NBA center and interim head coach of the surprising Portland Trail Blazers.
Breaking: The Bulls are finalizing the hire of Tiago Splitter to be the team's new head coach, sources tell @ShamsCharania.
— ESPN (@espn) June 15, 2026
Splitter served as interim head coach for the Trail Blazers and led Portland to the playoffs this season. pic.twitter.com/wd0lyZ7Hx4
Despite being the first name listed in the initial report, Kevin Young quickly disappeared from the lists of finalists for the position. Whether by his own decision or by the option of the Bulls, Young's consideration didn't last very long.
This was a warning shot; the show of force and sobering reminder that BYU basketball could collapse in an instant as they're built upon a head coach who will not only be receiving NBA attention, but likely plans to leave for a head coach position if and when such an opportunity arrives.
Kevin Young is an NBA guy -- always has been. Before accepting the head coach position in Provo, he was the highest paid assistant coach in the NBA and a candidate who many believed could be next in line for a head coaching role at that level. But BYU lost Mark Pope just in time to get their guy, and now he's built the BYU basketball program in the image of a professional team. Professional grade physicians, dieticians, coaching, facilities, and an NBA-style gameplan to boot.
That's how BYU was able to get players like Egor Demin, AJ Dybantsa, and Bruce Branch III, all three were 5-star prospects, and all three were drafted -- or are projected to be drafted -- in the first round of their respective NBA draft classes.
Kevin Young has completely revolutionized Cougar hoops under his watch, and while the win column hasn't been especially inflated in the transition between Pope and Young, the level of talent and national exposure has been unprecedented since the 2010-2011 season, when Jimmer Fredette was, well, Jimmer Fredette.
Young saved BYU basketball from tumbling to the depths of the Big 12 standings, but his sudden departure could threaten that fate once again. Few expect Kevin Young to be a BYU lifer -- he will always be on the NBA's radar -- and this Chicago Bulls scare is a simple reminder that as BYU basketball was given life, it can always be taken away.
In the meantime, however, enjoy what may be the greatest years in BYU basketball history. They may not last forever.
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