This is not the same defiant Zach LaVine who met with the media last March and said “everyone has their own opinion” when discussing all the turmoil surrounding him and his future with the Bulls.

Not even close.

He sounds like a maximum player without the maximum attitude, and the entire Bulls organization embraces this version of LaVine.

“Whatever his frustrations were, they were them,” coach Billy Donovan said. “But he managed to digest that, get through it mentally and get to where he is now. I really respect everything he’s done.”

Even when LaVine was told Wednesday that he was being given “a Dr. Phil Question” about his newfound calm, he joked, “Should I sit down?”

No chair or psychiatrist’s bed required.

LaVine said he finally played the game with balance and a joy that might have been missing.

“I think I’m in a really good place mentally and can let the game come to me and figure out what the team needs from me,” he said. “I’ve put a lot of pressure on myself throughout my career because obviously I work on it so much in the offseason, but just let the work speak for itself and go out there and enjoy it.”

And the way there?

“I think it’s a collective of everything,” he said. “I think experience, ups, downs, difficulties, triumphs, all of that plays a role. I think one of the biggest things that contributed was being a father. As a father of two children and a husband, you have to be mentally strong and balanced. I think that helped.”

His numbers say this is definitely the case.

LaVine’s scoring (21.8 points per game) is up from last season, but he’s also flirting with elite efficiency again, shooting 51% from the field and 42.9% from three-point range.

He remains the hottest trade rumor in the league and is still criticized for his max contract (two years, $96 million owed after this season).

It’s no secret that the Bulls are still trying to deal LaVine, but there are no signs of the resentment he once held toward the organization. Athletes like to say, “Control what you can control,” but LaVine lives it.

“I’ve always said this about Zach, that aside from being a player, he’s a really good person,” Donovan said. “I think you have to start with him. I’m sure there were things he himself was frustrated about. The things he talked about at media day was that the absence and the injury, the fatherhood, gives you time to think.

“Whatever those considerations were. . . He’s in a really good headspace.”

That’s good news for Donovan, especially considering he and LaVine haven’t always seen eye to eye in recent years.

Now LaVine is fully committed to everything that is asked of him, including the new role of defending the opponent’s leading backfield scorer.

“This year opened my eyes a little bit to the guys I saw: Kobe (Bryant), Michael (Jordan), D-Wade (Dwyane Wade), and I think, ‘I’ve always been included.’ Great form but OK, you have to be at the top level. . . also strong.’ LaVine said about his defensive role. “Yeah, it takes a little bit (of offense), but mentally you have to dig deep there and see how bad you want it. I’m happy to take on these challenges at the moment.”