Full Breakdown
Chicago Bulls Waive Guard Jaden Ivey After Anti-Gay Video Rant
5/17/2026, 10:09:27 PM
Core Event: Waiver Following Controversial Social Media Rant
The Chicago Bulls released guard Jaden Ivey on Monday, citing conduct detrimental to the team. The move followed a nearly hour-long Instagram livestream in which Ivey condemned the NBA’s Pride Month promotion and voiced anti-gay sentiments.
Background: Injury History, Acquisition, and Family Ties
Selected fifth overall in the 2022 NBA draft, Ivey was acquired from the Detroit Pistons before the trade deadline. Knee issues limited him to 30 games in 2024-25 and kept him out of the first 15 contests. The Bulls placed him on season-long injury status in early February after a sore left knee; he logged only four games for Chicago, his final appearance on Feb. 11. Ivey is the son of Notre Dame women’s basketball coach Niele Ivey, and Bulls head coach Billy Donovan oversaw his acquisition. After a coach’s decision to sit him on Feb. 19 against the Raptors, Ivey told reporters he wasn’t the same player as before, referring to his religion.
Official Statements & Responses
The Bulls announced Ivey’s release as a conduct-related action and clearly stressed the organization’s “expectations and standards” for professionalism, mutual respect, and accountability, emphasizing the importance of team unity. Coach Donovan reiterated that all personnel must meet those standards, emphasizing the need for high-level conduct from every team member.
Criticism & Opposition
Team staff said Ivey’s hour-long social-media rants—covering religion, depression, music lyrics, anti-Catholicism, abortion and other topics—created tension in the locker room. Sources described his demeanor as “preachy” and noted that his intensified intensity in Chicago “agitated” personnel, contributing to the waiver decision.
Why It Matters: Impact on Team Culture and NBA Inclusion Efforts
Ivey’s remarks directly challenged the NBA’s public support for Pride Month. The Bulls’ response underscores their effort to uphold professional standards while maintaining internal cohesion.
Verbatim Quotes
- “The world proclaims LGBTQ, right?” — Jaden Ivey, Guard, Chicago Bulls
- “They proclaim Pride Month and the NBA does, too.” — Jaden Ivey, Guard, Chicago Bulls
- “I'm alive in Christ no matter what the basketball setting is.” — Jaden Ivey, Guard, Chicago Bulls
- “I'm not the J.I. I used to be. The old J.I. is dead,” — Jaden Ivey, Guard, Chicago Bulls
What's Next
Ivey will become a free agent after the season, having not secured a contract extension with Detroit last summer. He will be without a team as the offseason begins. Ivey is the son of Notre Dame women’s basketball coach Niele Ivey.
