The Chicago Bulls waived guard Jaden Ivey on Monday for “conduct detrimental to the team,” hours after he posted an Instagram livestream criticizing the NBA’s support of LGBTQ initiatives, including Pride Month.
In a video streamed Monday morning to his more than 200,000 followers, Ivey questioned the league’s promotion of Pride Month and described it as celebrating “unrighteousness.”
“They proclaim Pride Month. And the NBA, they proclaim it,” Ivey said. “They say, ‘Come join us for Pride Month, to celebrate unrighteousness.’”
The waiver came the same day. The NBA has not publicly commented on Ivey’s remarks or release.
Ivey, 24, had already been ruled out for the remainder of the season last week because of left knee pain. After the team announced he would be shut down, he went live on Instagram three times over several days, delivering lengthy remarks focused largely on his religious beliefs. In those streams, he also criticized Catholicism and told one commenter that “God does not hear your prayer if you are a sinner.”
Hours after being waived, Ivey returned to Instagram Live and disputed the team’s reasoning. “They’re liars, bro. This is lying,” he said. “They’re lying saying my conduct is detrimental to the team. That’s a lie. … All I’m preaching about is Jesus Christ and they waived me.” He added that he had been in the gym rehabbing earlier that day and had fulfilled his professional responsibilities.
Bulls coach Billy Donovan addressed the move before Monday night’s game against the San Antonio Spurs, emphasizing organizational standards.
“There’s a certain level of standards and expectations that are here,” Donovan said. “We’ve got to all be professional. There’s got to be a high level of respect for one another, and we’ve got to help each other and be accountable to those standards.”
Chicago acquired Ivey from the Detroit Pistons at February’s trade deadline in a deal that sent Kevin Huerter to Detroit. The former No. 5 overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft had been considered a key young piece in Detroit before injuries slowed his progress. He suffered a season-ending broken left leg in January 2025 and underwent right knee surgery in October. This season, he appeared in just four games for the Bulls and last played Feb. 11 before the All-Star break.
On Feb. 19, Ivey received the first healthy scratch of his career, a coach’s decision at the time. After that game, he told reporters, “I’m not the J.I. I used to be. The old J.I. is dead. I’m alive in Christ no matter what the basketball setting is.” He also said he did not “really trust the NBA setting” and instead trusted “the Lord.”
Ivey is the son of Niele Ivey, the women’s basketball coach at Notre Dame. He is set to become a restricted free agent this summer. His stint in Chicago lasted less than two months.
