The Chicago Bulls took a swing in the NBA draft Wednesday night by selecting French teenager Noa Essengue with the No. 12 pick.
A 6-foot-10 forward boasting a 7-1 wingspan, the 18-year-old Essengue was the second-youngest prospect in this draft class — and one of the latest arrivals. He was playing for Ulm in the playoffs of the Basketball Bundesliga, a top league in Germany, until Sunday, when he flew to the U.S. for a handful of private workouts before official draft activities began Tuesday.
General manager Marc Eversley said the Bulls had conversations Wednesday with three or four teams ahead of them in the draft order, weighing their options to potentially trade up. But once it became clear Essengue would be available at No. 12, the team felt comfortable waiting for its preferred player.
“He’s a skilled power forward who has the ability to score the basketball,” Eversley said. “He’s excellent in transition and can play well above the rim. He’s got great hands and a great feel for the game.”
Essengue offers plenty of upside, including a versatile physical profile and an ability to play a variety of positions. But his game also brings plenty of wrinkles for the Bulls to iron out. Whether Essengue can grow into his stature, develop a reliable shot and learn to play through contact will define the overall success of this pick in the long term.
Eversley made it clear the Bulls have no plan to rush Essengue’s process. The team will build out a development program for the rookie on and off the court to adjust to both the NBA and life in the U.S.
Although Essengue will report to Chicago this weekend to prepare for next month’s NBA Summer League in Las Vegas, Eversley said the Bulls haven’t ruled out the possibility of stashing him in Europe for another season. But that doesn’t diminish the front office’s belief that Essengue will be a crucial contributor for the Bulls in the long run.
“I see him as a two-way player who can impact the game both offensively and defensively,” Eversley said. “His ability to get to the free-throw line and play downhill is super intriguing to us. I think he’ll be able to be a versatile wing defender.
“His game is just very versatile. I like the length, the versatility, the ability to be switchable on defense. Those are all intriguing qualities.”
Shooting jumps out on Essengue’s draft profile — and not as a positive. He shot only 28.9% behind the 3-point arc this past season for Ulm.
However, Essengue excels in the open court, where he’s a savvy rim runner who prides himself on efficient finishing at speed and around the basket.
“I think I can do pretty much everything — shooting, passing the ball, attacking the rim — but my biggest strength right now is the open-court game,” Essengue said.
Essengue’s versatility is another notable asset. He can theoretically slide between the three and five to fit different needs in a variety of lineups, although his most natural fit is likely as a four — a position already claimed by 2024 first-round pick Matas Buzelis.
But Essengue said he isn’t picky about where he plays in Chicago.
“If I play, I feel good,” he said.
Essengue — who’s three days older than No. 1 pick Cooper Flagg, the youngest player in the draft class — is too young to be familiar with the Bulls’ dominant days. He was 4 the last time they reached the Eastern Conference finals and 8 the last time they made it past the first round.
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But that didn’t lessen the teenager’s impression of the franchise’s legacy in the league.
“It’s just amazing,” Essengue said. “I maybe do not know the miracle Chicago Bulls, but everybody loved Michael Jordan’s story. That’s a legendary franchise with a lot of championships, a lot of rings. That’s a big background.”
This is only the first step of a busy offseason for the Bulls, who were eliminated from the play-in tournament for the third year in a row after a 39-43 season. The previous season signaled an acceptance by the front office that change is necessary, resulting in the departures of former standouts DeMar DeRozan, Zach LaVine and Alex Caruso.
Despite his notable wingspan, Essengue doesn’t offer the same tangibles as other bigs in this draft — and he doesn’t give the Bulls a clear succession plan for veteran center Nikola Vučević, who has made it clear as he enters the final year of his contract that he doesn’t wish to spend the end of his career mired in a rebuild.
The Bulls have been actively shopping Vučević for more than a year but chose not to trade him at the deadline in February. With Essengue now in place, the Bulls will shift their focus toward moving Vučević — while also pursuing a new deal with restricted free agent Josh Giddey and potential plans for Patrick Williams, Lonzo Ball and other assets.
