Rookie Standing: Promising, However Not But Prepared
Noa Essengue entered the NBA with excessive expectations after being chosen twelfth total within the 2025 draft. The 18-year-old French ahead possesses distinctive bodily instruments—standing 6-foot-10 with a protracted wingspan. He impressed abroad along with his athleticism and potential. But the Bulls teaching employees insists he nonetheless has important progress to make earlier than incomes constant enjoying time. In response to coach Billy Donovan, “He understands spacing and motion … however he’s bought to actually make investments a number of time in his physique.”
Areas of Focus: Energy, Footwork, and Inverse Match-ups
Essengue’s shift from European play to the NBA highlight has uncovered particular areas needing enchancment. He struggles with physicality when guarding in half-court units and works to enhance his footwork. Donovan famous that one in all his duties is to “study to play slightly bit decrease to the bottom as a result of he does lack slightly little bit of energy.” Whereas his defensive instincts shine in open-floor play, the contact and pick-and-roll points of the NBA sport problem him proper now.
Roster Context: Persistence Required
The Bulls already possess a deep frontcourt with established gamers forward of Essengue on the rotation. Gamers like Matas Buzelis, Isaac Okoro, Patrick Williams and Julian Phillips all garnered extra minutes throughout the preseason, pushing Essengue towards a developmental position initially. Along with his restricted preseason averages—3.8 factors and 1.8 rebounds over about 14 minutes per sport—the group is clearly adopting a measured method.
Technique: G League Time and Follow Returns
The Bulls intend to offer Essengue time to hone his craft. He could break up time between the NBA squad and their G League affiliate, the Windy Metropolis Bulls, as soon as that schedule begins. That developmental route permits him to get reps, construct energy and regulate to the quicker studying curve of the NBA. Coach Donovan emphasised the necessity for enchancment “in in-space defensive … guarding one-on-one … and with the ability to deal with the physicality.”
Trying Forward
Essengue stays a long-term funding for the Bulls. He has the size, mobility and basketball IQ that match the group’s scheme. But the sensible expectation proper now could be progress, not fast affect. As one Bulls government lately put it, “we’re not going to place excessive expectations on what’s going to occur.” With structured improvement, Essengue might develop into a beneficial rotation piece down the road—and perhaps extra—if he nails the little issues.
