Bulls waive Jaden Ivey after controversial anti-LGBTQ social media rants
Conduct detrimental to team - The Chicago Bulls have officially released guard Jaden Ivey following a series of inflammatory social media posts that included anti-gay comments, ending his brief tenure with the franchise just weeks after his acquisition from Detroit.
Feb 5, 2026; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Chicago Bulls guard Jaden Ivey (31) passes against the Toronto Raptors in the second half at Scotiabank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images
The Chicago Bulls made a swift decision Monday, waiving guard Jaden Ivey for conduct detrimental to the team. The move came just hours after the 24-year-old posted a lengthy video rant on social media that included anti-gay sentiments and controversial religious commentary.
Ivey’s troubles began escalating after the team shut him down for the season due to injury last Thursday. Since then, he has gone live on Instagram multiple times, posting at least three lengthy videos that caught the organization’s attention for all the wrong reasons.
Controversial comments spark immediate action
During Monday morning’s Instagram live stream, Ivey specifically targeted the NBA‘s support of Pride Month, calling it a celebration of « unrighteousness. »
« The world proclaims LGBTQ, right? » Ivey said during the video stream. « They proclaim Pride Month and the NBA does, too. They show it to the world. They say, ‘Come join us for Pride Month to celebrate unrighteousness.’ They proclaim it on the billboards. They proclaim it on the streets. Unrighteousness. »
Following his release, Ivey questioned the Bulls’ decision in another live stream Monday evening, challenging the team’s reasoning while continuing his religious commentary.
« [The Bulls] said my conduct is detrimental to the team, » he said. « Why didn’t they just say, ‘We don’t agree with his stance on LGBTQ’? Why didn’t they say that? … How is it conduct detrimental to the team? What did I do to the team? What did I do to the players? »
Brief Bulls tenure ends abruptly
The Bulls had acquired Ivey from the Detroit Pistons before the trade deadline last month, hoping he could contribute to their long-term future. However, the former No. 5 pick in 2022 appeared in only four games for Chicago and last played February 11 before the All-Star break.
Ivey’s religious intensity had reportedly increased during his time in Chicago, with team staff members describing him as « preachy » around the locker room, according to sources. His social media rants often lasted nearly an hour and covered various topics, including depression, religion, « wicked » music lyrics, anti-Catholicism, abortion and his love for apple pie.
Bulls coach Billy Donovan addressed the situation before Monday night’s game against the Spurs, emphasizing the organization’s standards without directly naming Ivey.
« There’s a certain level of expectations and standards that are here, » Donovan told reporters. « Everybody comes with their own personal experiences, right? But we have to all be professional, there has to be a high level of respect for one another, and we’ve got to help each other and be accountable to those standards. »
With no contract extension agreed upon with Detroit last summer, Ivey will enter free agency this offseason following his release.
Sylvain Sultat follows the NBA on a daily basis, covering individual performances, team dynamics, and the league's greatest stories. On Be-Basketball, he breaks down the latest American basketball news with passion and consistency, always on the lookout for the trends shaping the world of basketball.
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