Rare Air: How Giddey is rewriting the record books

• Australian Boomers star Josh Giddey has been elite since the 2025 NBA All-Star Break
• He's just one assist shy of averaging a triple double for the Chicago Bulls
• He has the Bulls on the verge of the NBA Play-in Tournament

Australian point guard Josh Giddey is etching his name in the record books in his first year as a Chicago Bull — and it’s come at the right time.

The Bulls have entered play-in conversations off the back of a 10-5 record in the last 15 games after being sub-par for much of the season.

Giddey, 22. has been a major catalyst, being the only player in the league to average 20+ points, 10+ rebounds, and 9+ assists since the All-Star Break.

"I’m feeling good, we’re feeling good as a team,” Giddey said after beating the Miami Heat.

"This is the right time of year to get going … we’re really starting to come together and it’s evident out there on the floor."

Giddey had 28 points, 16 rebounds, 11 assists, three blocks, and two steals against the Heat, a stat line only matched by Larry Bird and Giannis Antetokounmpo in NBA history.

But Giddey admitted his interest only lied with team success over individual performances.

"I try not to [pay attention to my stats]," he said.

"The individual stuff, it’s great, but it means nothing if you’re not winning games… we’ve always said all year, the whole is better than the individual parts of this unit and when everyone contributes, we’re a tough team to beat."

The sustained, consistent yet elite form Giddey finds himself experiencing places him amongst elite company.

He has been highly consistent since the All-Star break, falling shy of six assists only three times, collecting under six rebounds twice, and scoring in single figures once – worlds apart from earlier-season form.

This run has propelled him into conversations concerning the game’s greatest. His outputs of 1000 points, 500 rebounds, and 500 assists this season, has been achieved this year by only Lebron James and Nikola Jokic. In Bulls history, Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen have met these numbers, rounding out the franchise’s top three for triple doubles alongside Giddey.

Bulls head coach Billy Donovan had high praise for Giddey’s rebounding efforts, which have been at a career-high mark this season.

"The rebounding is really beneficial for us on both ends of the floor, one defensively, it allows us to start a break and play fast, and then offensively it gives extra possessions," Donovan said.

ESPN NBA analyst Tim Legler echoed that sentiment.

"He has a knack, if he gets his hands on it, it’s his," he said.

"He’s got great strength in his wrists, forearms, if he gets a fingertip on the ball, it seems like Giddey comes away with it."

Giddey has also taken a sizeable leap in his three-point shooting. After failing to exceed a 34% mark from beyond the arc in his first three NBA seasons, the Australian Boomer is on pace to be a 38% shooter this season, headlined by a scorching 54% shooting month on five attempts per game in February.

“He’s definitely surpassed what I thought his barrier was going to be as a 3-point shooter,” Legler said. “Something is going on with his confidence level, it’s not like some dramatic mechanical change in his shot, it looks the same but it’s going in at a much higher rate and that tells you that between the ears, he’s in a really good place right now.”

Legler suggests  this three-point shooting has had a strong knock-on effect, enhancing his strengths.

"It’s important he does that because now, you have to close out on him a little bit differently, and that’s when the off-ball stuff and putting the ball onto the ground and playmaking off the dribble really kicks into high gear.”

Teammate Kevin Huerter said that a prospering Giddey doesn’t come as a surprise, though the three-point shooting improvement has been welcomed.

“Getting used to it at this point,” he said. “The pull-up threes I didn’t know that was in his bag yet, but all the stuff down-hill, him getting to the rim, setting people up, all that stuff he’s always been able to do.”

Legler said that whilst Giddey’s statistical numbers are nothing short of remarkable, his exceptional decision making continues to set him apart.

“He has a great feel of where the ball is supposed to travel next and makes incredibly quick decisions with it,” he said. “There is no wasted motion, no wasted dribbles, he doesn’t catch the ball, hold it, allow defences to recalibrate and set-up again… he’s seeing the floor well before the ball actually gets to him.”

As the engine behind Chicago’s late season surge, Giddey will look to contribute to some late season success as the Bulls face off against Washington and Philadelphia to close out their 2024-25 campaign, ahead of the post-season.

Giddey has averaged 14.6 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 7.2 assists in 70 appearances this season.