CHICAGO (USA) - Several months before Dallas traded Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers on February 2, a big trade had already caused an earthquake in FIBA land.
On June 21, just weeks before the Olympics tipped off in France, Oklahoma City dealt their human highlight reel, Australia national team star Josh Giddey, to the Chicago Bulls.
After just one season in Chicago, the Bulls have agreed to sign Giddey to a four-year, $100million contract.
Giddey averaged not only 14.6 points per game but career-highs in rebounds (8.1), assists (7.2), steals (1.2) and 3-point field goal percentage (37.8%).
There were plenty of good times with Giddey in Chicago.
In a win over Los Angeles on March 27, he set off wild celebrations with game-winning heroics.
Chicago ultimately made it to the Play-In Tournament but fell to Miami.
The hope is that the Australian will be a part of a Chicago team that competes for honors and maybe even wins a title for the first time since 1998, when Michael Jordan was a Bull and long before Giddey was born.
Giddey is one of the NBA's top young players at 22 years of age.
Bulls fans would have enjoyed watching him at the Olympics.
He lit up the Summer Games with the Boomers, leading the team with averages of 17.5 points and 6.0 assists per game, while he was second in rebounds at 7.8 per game.
Giddey has amazed in his two big events so far with Australia.
At the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023, he earned the Wanda Rising Star Award after averaging a team high 19.4 points, 6.0 assists, and 5.0 rebounds per game.
In four games at the Olympics, where Giddey led Australia to the Quarter-Finals, he was terrific. He had 17 points in a win over Spain, 19 in a defeat to Canada and 25 in the overtime setback to Serbia in the last eight.
After Australia's overtime defeat to Serbia in the Quarter-Finals, he returned to the USA and excelled for the Bulls.
FIBA