Free agents are already naming Tom Thibodeau as a reason to sign with the Chicago Bulls. (Chicago Tribune)

Kurt Thomas spent part of Monday afternoon running down the reasons he signed with the Bulls for his 16th NBA season.

One name kept resurfacing: Tom Thibodeau.

“As an assistant, his approach was unbelievable,” said Thomas, who spent five seasons with the new Bulls coach when they were with the Knicks. “He was known for putting in 15-hour days. He’s solid and knows how to talk to players.

“When you see how hard he works, you want to work that hard too. To see his growth over all these years, I think now that he has this (head coaching) opportunity he’ll be very successful.”

Look, I’m with Kurt. Thibodeau will be a good coach in the NBA. He’s too hard-working and too knowledgeable about defense not to be. But I don’t think free agents should be flocking towards Thibs like the beautiful women who instinctively flock like the salmon of Capistrano. Not yet, at least.