The Chicago Bulls announced today that Shawn Respert has been named the team’s Director of Player Development and Arnold Lee has been promoted to the team as Assistant Athletic Trainer. On the coaching side, Windy City Bulls Head Coach Nate Loenser has returned to the Bulls to join Head Coach Fred Hoiberg’s coaching staff, while Assistant Coach Charlie Henry heads to Hoffman Estates as the Head Coach of Chicago’s G League affiliate.
Respert, an NBA veteran of four seasons, comes to the Bulls having served in multiple developmental roles as an assistant coach in the NBA. Most recently, he was a regional scout and assistant coach with the Memphis Grizzlies. While with the Grizzlies, he was a member of David Joerger’s staff for three seasons (2013-16). Prior to that, Respert spent three seasons in Minnesota as an assistant coach with an emphasis on player development. He also spent four seasons with the Houston Rockets as an assistant coach (2008-11). Before entering the coaching ranks, he spent two seasons as director of basketball operations for the NBA D-League (2006-08). The Detroit native worked in a similar capacity at Rice University where he was the Owls' director of basketball operations for two seasons (2004-06). A former college Player of the Year at Michigan State (1990-95), the Portland Trail Blazers selected him with the eighth pick in the 1995 NBA Draft. Following a draft-night trade to the Milwaukee Bucks, he played for the Bucks (1995-97), the Toronto Raptors (1997-98), Dallas Mavericks (1998) and Phoenix Suns (1999). After his career in the NBA, he went on to play four more seasons in the European Basketball League.
“Shawn is a great addition to our staff. His knowledge of the game and track record in player development are a great fit for our team,” said Chicago Bulls Head Coach Fred Hoiberg. "He is respected in the NBA and I know he is excited to begin working with our players."
"I am excited to join an organization that has such a storied tradition like the Bulls. I am also thankful to have the chance to work with Fred Hoiberg and the rest of his staff,” said Respert. “Knowing the organization’s commitment to player development, I am here to support the players and coaches, as well as management, in our pursuit of developing and improving our team.”
Loenser reunites with the Bulls after serving as the head coach of the Chicago’s G League affiliate in its inaugural season last year. While with the Windy City Bulls, he guided the team to a record of 23-27 (.460), while playing a role in helping develop Chicago’s young players such as Denzel Valentine, Bobby Portis, Cristiano Fel?cio,
Jerian Grant and Paul Zipser. In 2015-16, Loenser served as Chicago's Video Coordinator. During that time, he developed Bulls players and worked with Hoiberg and his staff to organize and present all scouting breakdowns for opponents, and edits of practice and game video. He also updated and maintained the Bulls’ offensive and defensive playbooks.
Lee has been promoted to the Bulls after spending last season as the head athletic trainer for the Windy City Bulls. In 2016, he served as a preseason intern with the Chicago Bears. Prior to that, he worked three years as the head athletic trainer at Kennedy King College in Chicago (2013-16). Lee graduated from the University of Illinois at Chicago with a B.S. in Kinesiology and he holds a Masters in Athletic Training from California Baptist University.