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Power ranking NBA head coaches: 2015-16 season

By John Buhler

Oct 23, 2015; Manchester, NH, USA; Boston Celtics head coach Brad Stevens gestures from the sidelines during the second half against the Philadelphia 76ers at Verizon Wireless Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark L. Baer-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 23, 2015; Manchester, NH, USA; Boston Celtics head coach Brad Stevens gestures from the sidelines during the second half against the Philadelphia 76ers at Verizon Wireless Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark L. Baer-USA TODAY Sports /
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November 20, 2015; Oakland, CA, USA; Chicago Bulls head coach Fred Hoiberg (right) instructs guard Jimmy Butler (21) during the fourth quarter against the Golden State Warriors at Oracle Arena. The Warriors defeated the Bulls 106-94. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
November 20, 2015; Oakland, CA, USA; Chicago Bulls head coach Fred Hoiberg (right) instructs guard Jimmy Butler (21) during the fourth quarter against the Golden State Warriors at Oracle Arena. The Warriors defeated the Bulls 106-94. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports /

20. Fred Hoiberg, Chicago Bulls

When it became clear that the Chicago Bulls were not going to keep former head coach Tom Thibodeau around for 2015-16, his spot was almost filled by none other than former Chicago Bull and the Mayor of Ames Fred Hoiberg.

Getting Hoiberg to leave his alma mater Iowa State Cyclones beast of a program is a major credit to the Bulls front office. Hoiberg’s hiring has a similar feel to how the Boston Celtics nabbed Brad Stevens away from the Butler Bulldogs program he took to two straight NCAA Finals appearances.

Hoiberg has been given both a great, but tricky job in trying to get the Bulls to an NBA Championship. Chicago is one of the main contenders in the Eastern Conference in 2015-16, but had been carelessly driven into the ground in the playoffs the last five years under Tom Thibodeau’s all-out, all-the-time defensive style of play.

Did Fred Hoiberg inherit a team ready to give it another shot or has this incarnation of the Bulls become too jaded by the Thibodeau to hear their new head coach’s strategy? In his first 12 games leading Chicago, Hoiberg’s Bulls are 8-4 and are 7th in defense (100.3). Statistically, this team looks like that of a Thibodeau-led Chicago Bulls team, but perhaps it is the intangible qualities of Fred Hoiberg that make him so likable. He seems to have the respect of the team, the organization, and the fans in his first few games.

Next: 19. Dwane Casey

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