This could have been the season for Zach LaVine to be selfish.
His former co-star, DeMar DeRozan, is gone. The bottom fell out of the defense with the departure of Alex Caruso. The best way to build up his trade value is to stockpile stat sheets to convince other teams of his viability on a contender.
And in a Chicago Bulls season already written off as a must-lose for better draft positioning, it wouldn’t have been surprising — or even upsetting — if LaVine had chosen to soak up as much of the spotlight as possible.
But that isn’t the case. LaVine is back to his old-school heroics, slinging 3-pointers and throwing down splashy dunks over the heads of his defenders. And he’s doing it more efficiently — and with less frustration — than ever.
“I can be a star in whatever situation I’m in,” LaVine told the Tribune. “I’m still super effective — and I’m going to keep it that way. I understand what I have to do for the team. I’ve tried to really embrace and accept that role, whether that’s taking the challenge defensively, being a facilitator or even fitting into a role, helping guys out and then asserting myself when I need to.”
For most of his tenure, the Bulls often fell back on LaVine out of desperation.
When the offense ground to a halt or the 3-pointers weren’t falling, the Bulls looked to their star — or, as LaVine described it, “OK, why don’t we just let Zach shoot it 28 times?”
This season is different. LaVine is averaging the lowest usage (24.2%) of his eight-year tenure with the Bulls (excluding last season, when he played only 25 games due to injury). This means that for the first time since his second season in the league, LaVine is not ending a play — either by taking a shot, drawing a foul or turning the ball over — for more than 75% of the time he is on the court.
His teammates are quick to reassure that it’s not from a lack of belief in LaVine. “Everybody knows Zach LaVine can go out there and get you 30 points whenever he wants,” guard Coby White said.
But in a higher-paced offense that values 3-point shots above all else, LaVine has more flexibility to spread the ball. He’s taking 15.5 shots per game, a notable decline from his average of 18 in the 2022-23 season and his career high of 20 in 2019-20.
Despite the decline in volume, the Bulls average 11.7 more points per 100 minutes with LaVine on the court.
“I’m picking my spots better this year,” Lavine said. “You want to have everybody have a rhythm. If I need to come out aggressive, I should do that, but you don’t want to have guys not touch the ball until the third quarter when it really matters.”
Monday’s win over the Detroit Pistons encapsulated LaVine’s new approach. At the start, he was just looking to get teammates involved, logging five assists and only eight shots in the first half. But once his first 3-pointer dropped in the fourth, a switch flipped. LaVine sank a trio of 3s in 61 seconds, ripping off 18 of his 25 points in the quarter.
White described that win as a “perfect” game for LaVine in Year 11. And for teammates such as fourth-year guard Ayo Dosunmu aiming to make a major leap in their progress, the balance LaVine is striking has provided a significant confidence boost.
“Him being that big bro, that big vet, he’s really allowing everyone to come out and contribute and thrive and play at their best,” Dosunmu said. “And he’s still Zach LaVine. He’s still able to take over any game. But I think it’s making him harder to guard because he’s not so ball dominant, but he’s still so effective. That’s just a credit to him. Ultimately, whenever we need him, he’s always there.”
LaVine wasn’t happy last season.
That much was obvious. Nothing was going right for the Bulls. So LaVine let himself get angry. Over the criticism from fans sparked by reports of his attempt to push a trade out of Chicago. Over the complicated fracture in his right foot that hindered every step on the court. Over the losses — and sometimes even after the wins.
But something shifted after the birth of his second son, Elijah, in March.
Fatherhood already had a reframing effect on LaVine when his elder son, Saint, was born in 2022. But raising two boys was a new challenge — a joyful one — that shook him out of the funk that plagued him for the 2023-24 season.
At that point, he had been away from the Bulls for a full month, rehabbing from foot surgery in California while preparing for Elijah’s birth with his wife, Hunter. And as he juggled parenthood with recovery and preparation to return to Chicago, LaVine said he realized there simply wasn’t enough time in the day to linger in his frustration.
“When you’re upset or mad about things, you don’t have a clear train of thought,” LaVine said. “As a parent now of two, I can’t be someone that’s not clear-headed. That’s where I took a step back. I was like, ‘I’ve got to be someone that’s calm for everybody else, even in situations where it’s hectic.’ And I asked myself, like, ‘OK, how do you calm yourself down?’ That’s helped me a lot.”
It’s almost impossible for professional athletes to escape the inherent negativity of the job. Even players who prefer to log off social media struggle to avoid online discourse — friends or family members will send them screenshots of posts, teammates will huddle to argue over a hot take on TV in the locker room.
LaVine doesn’t try to avoid the chatter. He keeps an eye on social media, reads and watches analysts and fans alike. He never wants to be caught off guard, always trying to understand the outside world’s perception of him.
But LaVine wants to stop worrying about changing that perception. It’s a constant source of conversation with Hunter and his father, Paul. And it’s not easy or perfect. Still, the result has been visible to teammates, even as the Bulls struggle through a 6-10 start.
“He’s in a great space and I’m actually proud of him for that,” Dosunmu told the Tribune. “We see it and you can just tell it by watching him. He’s playing great, he’s shooting the ball great, he’s being a great teammate. I’m happy for him.”
Some of this is just about growing up.
This is the first year LaVine is really beginning to feel his age. Not too much. He turns 30 on March 10. There’s still a buoyant spring in the way he launches toward the rim for a dunk.
But it means something to be in Year 11. LaVine is the undisputed veteran leader of the young roster. And sure, he can’t help but laugh when rookie Matas Buzelis — “that bastard,” he joked — calls him an OG, but he also knows it’s a sign of respect that he has worked for years to earn.
And for LaVine, only the main difference matters when comparing this year to last: He’s happy.
He feels like himself on the court. His family is thriving off it. And whatever comes next — wins, losses, a trade, another season in Chicago — LaVine feels more in control than ever.
“I can’t make everybody happy,” LaVine said. “I can’t control if people are wrong or right about their own opinions. I can just go out here and try to continue to do the best I can for myself, my family, my team. I’m being true to myself. That’s a peace in itself.”
