Hoiberg now a Bull

AMES - The Windy City may indeed have found its Mayor.

The Chicago Bulls are expected to announce the hiring of Iowa State's Fred Hoiberg as its new head coach after he met with front office executives Monday evening, according to multiple news outlets. The organization called for a 'major announcement” at 2 p.m. in Chicago.

The New York Daily News reported his contract is five years for $25 million.

Speculation has built in the last several weeks that Hoiberg has been the Bulls' top choice to replace Tom Thibodeau, who was fired last Thursday.

Hoiberg, 42, underwent a second open-heart surgery in April, and told a small group of reporters at the Ames Municipal Airport on Monday afternoon that the constant rumor mill has been difficult to deal with in a silent manner.

'I'm not the type of guy that's going to lie and say I didn't have interest,” Hoiberg said via a live broadcast from WHO-TV. 'I'm not the type of person that's going to say there was something done because there wasn't. A lot of this was going on at a time when there was still a lot of things to be played out.”

Hoiberg will pay a buyout of $500,000 to make the move to Chicago, but would have had to pay Iowa State $2 million if he left for another college coaching position. It was reported Hoiberg also interviewed with the New Orleans Pelicans and Orlando Magic for those coaching vacancies.

'I would have never left Iowa State for another college job,” Hoiberg said. 'It just wouldn't have happened and it didn't matter what program called, this is where I wanted to be.”

The Ames native and former Iowa State standout guided the Cyclones to a 115-56 overall record in five seasons. Hoiberg took the program to the NCAA tournament the last four years, which was highlighted by a Sweet 16 berth in 2014. Iowa State also collected Big 12 tournament titles in 2014 and 2015.

Before returning to his alma mater in 2010, Hoiberg was an executive with the Minnesota Timberwolves for five years. He spent 10 seasons as a player in the NBA with the Indiana Pacers, Bulls and Timberwolves.

Bulls general manager Gar Forman and Hoiberg have reportedly had a close relationship dating back to when both were in Ames. Forman was on former ISU coach Tim Floyd's staff from 1994-98 when Hoiberg was a player.

'(Coaching in the NBA) is something I've had interest in, but it didn't matter what offer came in last year, I wouldn't have taken it,” Hoiberg said. 'This year, things were a little bit different. And it happens to all of us when you have life changes that could potentially impact you, you sit down and weigh it with your family and you make the best decision you possibly can.”

Thibodeau spent five seasons in Chicago, guiding the Bulls to the playoffs each season. He led the franchise to 255-139 regular-season mark, and was 23-28 in the postseason. Thibodeau reportedly had two years and roughly $9 million left on his contract.

Although he lacked head coaching experience, Hoiberg led Iowa State to program-firsts in his five-year tenure. He was the fastest coach to reach 100 wins in ISU history and was the first coach to lead a Cyclones team to the NCAA tournament four-straight times.

'This year when this opportunity came about (to pursue an NBA coaching job), it was something that interested me greatly,” Hoiberg said. '(Iowa State athletics director) Jamie Pollard is absolutely right, this is one of my life goals is to coach in that league.”

The Cyclones will arguably return their most talented roster in 2015-16, led by All-Big 12 players Georges Niang, Jameel McKay and Monte Morris. Iowa State is predicted to be ranked in the preseason top-10 this fall.

Pollard is now left to replace Hoiberg, but it was reported by CBS Sports that ISU assistant coach T.J. Otzelberger has Pollard's 'full support.”

'The opportunity to coach here,” Hoiberg said, 'it's been five of the best years of my life.”

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