Josh Giddey’s Complicated Relationship with Bulls Fans

Bulls On Tap had the opportunity to ask Don a few questions about the interaction.

You said you didn’t give the post about Giddey much thought, but what was your reaction when you first saw his reply?

Don Lon: I have to preface by saying I saw his reply upon my waking up for work, maybe 5-6 hours after he replied. So it was maybe 6:30 am PST, and my energy was low. Couple that with me being a nonchalant guy in real life, and I saw he responded and immediately thought, "Oh, Josh replied, well that tweet is going on mute, I know how these things go". And went on to work.

That’s hilarious! What are your thoughts on Giddey’s response?

Don Lon: I thought all things considered that was an extremely respectful response lol. While I enjoy talking trash as much as anyone, I still respect these guys(pro athletes) immensely. So he asked me respectfully to chill for the offseason, chill I shall.

Last one, what are your thoughts on fans and pro athletes having direct access to one another?

Don Lon: I think it's cool. From my perspective, it's easy to just turn "this" off, disengage, and touch grass. I'd like to imagine it's easier with the resources pro athletes often have. So when they do decide to step into the "fan world" and interact in any medium, I think that's cool. Regardless of how/what they're responding to.

(This interview was edited for length and clarity)

Giddey's response was in the same vein as Ayo Dosunmu's interactions with fans in his live streams when analyzing fan accessibility to the NBA players on their favorite team. After the brief interaction, Giddey has become more active on X, reacting to Halliburton’s injury during the NBA Finals and engaging with several other posts.

Although he hasn’t directly addressed fans' criticism, his interviews suggest that he is aware of how they perceive him. This self-awareness is not surprising given his honesty with the media after being played off the court in November 2024 against the Cleveland Cavaliers. Hopefully, Giddey’s relationship with the fanbase can move past the frustration of the trade that brought him here.