The message from Nikola Vucevic over the weekend was loud, sharp, and impossible to ignore. The Chicago Bulls’ veteran center, sidelined Monday with a sore knee, did not hold back in calling the team “soft” after another frustrating loss, openly questioning their toughness and accountability.

Instead of pushing back or downplaying the remarks, head coach Billy Donovan doubled down, saying not only was Vucevic right, but that the Bulls needed to hear it.

“I have a good relationship with Vooch, and Vooch is a really smart player,” Donovan said. “He understands what winning looks like and the things you have to do regularly. … Everything he said was nothing that he was off base with. I felt that way, too.”

For Donovan, Vucevic’s critique highlighted a deeper issue: Chicago’s maturity gap and lack of consistent competitive edge. He noted the stark contrast in experience within the locker room, saying, “There’s a huge gap. Vooch has three kids. There’s guys on this team that are basically sophomores in college.”

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The Bulls have shown flashes of resilience. They started the season well, but not enough to establish an identity that withstands pressure. Donovan stressed that the process matters as much as the result, that the team has fallen into the trap of feeling comfortable after wins despite bad habits, and discouraged after losses, even when improvements are visible.

“You can win games in this league and be going in the wrong direction, and you can lose games and feel really good like, ‘OK, we’re starting to do things the right way, we just didn’t get the result we needed,’” Donovan said. “That’s what Vooch’s point was, that that is not sustainable.”

Second-year forward Matas Buzelis echoed the sentiment, saying the veteran had “every right to be upset” and that the team had to respond.

Whether the wake-up call becomes a turning point or just another emotional flash will define the Bulls’ direction from here.