Chicago Bulls select Noa Essengue - #12 overall

[DuckIII]

i saw a post saying noa's agility numbers are the best recorded for a guy his size. not 100% confident on the veracity of the best-ever claim, but it's obviously at the least unusually good for his height

I don't know if its accurate that they are the "best recorded" or not. But if you look at his sprint time, lane agility drills, and max vert for a guy his height they are very impressive. His sprint speed was faster than Edgecombe's for crying out loud. His times in both speed/agility drills place him more closely with the guards, not the bigs.

[keobulls]

I also saw it mentioned somewhere that Cooper Flagg's dominance as an 18 year old may be skewing the way people would look at someone like Noa. If you watch the highlights of that longer video and think about Noa being a high school senior in America you might think of his movement, production, and even upside differently.

[Chi town]

Pat is so dumb he does t realize yet that Noa will be taking all his mins.

No IQ.

[Am2626]

Mannnnn I really really wanted Maluach

This is probably the next best thing for us

Yeah my heart sank when Malauch went 10. Don’t know what Phoenix is doing as they also traded 2 first round picks for Mark Williams and they have Nick Richards already on their roster. Don’t know much about this guy but looks like someone with upside and is really young. 18 I think.

[ghostinthepost1]

Pat is so dumb he does t realize yet that Noa will be taking all his mins.

No IQ.

Pat is thrilled he no longer needs to go out there, jog at half speed for 24 minutes a night, and pretend to care.

He can firmly plant his butt on the bench and collect his money.

[Chi town]

Pat is so dumb he does t realize yet that Noa will be taking all his mins.

No IQ.

Pat is thrilled he no longer needs to go out there, jog at half speed for 24 minutes a night, and pretend to care.

He can firmly plant his butt on the bench and collect his money.

So true! Dude is just not a dude.

[NecessaryEvil]

Read on Twitter

[Am2626]

At least this should mean no Kuminga, though validates AKMEs interest in Kuminga.

Why would drafting Essengue stop them from going after Kuminga?

Where would Kuminga have minutes if Matas and Essengue (and Giddey at the 3) are getting minutes?

Giddy is the point guard and Matas is at the 4. Essengue is not going to start immediately so there is a clear place for Kuminga at the 3. Just need to get rid of Pat Williams.

[Red8911]

Noa knows Noah.

They’ve talked. I bet we see a lot more Joakim moving fwd.

I don’t think they actually know each other.An agent knew Jo and called him so they can talk.

[GoBlue72391]

An article in the Tribune this morning said the Bulls haven’t ruled out stashing him in Europe next year. Did Eversley say that in his presser?

https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/06/25/chicago-bulls-draft-noa-essengue/

Wow.

Not sure how I feel about that. On one hand, it's general practice to keep young, raw, foreign players stashed overseas. That way we're not wasting a year or two of his cheap rookie contract if he's not ready to play NBA minutes, so it makes sense from that perspective.

But on the other hand, this kid needs to get into an NBA weight and development program ASAP and practice everyday against NBA players, even if we're not exactly near the top at player development.

I can't see him carving out much of a role as a rookie, given how light and raw he is. I feel like you'd have to give him at least 10 token minutes per game, but maybe they think he'd be better off playing big minutes overseas than playing a few minutes here and there in the NBA and starting in the G League.

Gut instinct says get him to the NBA asap.

[GoBlue72391]

Do any of oyu even know what Peter Patton did (or didn't do) or do you just know his name and hate the Bulls so decide to bash them for moving on from Patton?

His impact on players shooting seems very anecdotal. Some players shot better one year than worse the next (Ayo). Some shot worse than better (Vuc). Others stayed largely the same.

If Patton is so great - how come no other team has hired him since he left the Bulls? Is everyone else also stupid?

We have a developmental coaching staff - you (and I) just don't know their names. It doesn't mean they're not good or capable of their jobs. It actually means nothing.

Can the Bulls develop Essengue into a good player? I think that has more to do with Essengue than it does the Bulls. And I think that's true for every team.

100%. There’s posts every year around draft time saying the Bulls can’t develop prospects. There’s zero evidence or knowledge upon which to base the notion that “the organization” is poor at “developing” players. The results are all over the spectrum under different coaches and staff and none of us know anything about the particulars of what is and is not done.

Moreover it cuts against the obvious truth that the vast majority of player development is based on the player himself. Commitment. Mentality. Skill base. It’s also not quantum physics to teach basketball.

Point being, this is easy for me. I don’t and have never considered it in evaluating the draft and never will.

Its always smelled to me like when a player doesn’t develop we blame the organization (based on nothing that we would need to know to rationally form that opinion) and when players develop well we say nothing.

Since the AKME administration took over, which of their guys have developed?

Pat: No

Simonovic: No

Ayo: Solid but more or less the same player when he was drafted

Terry: No

Phillips: No

Matas: Early results look great

Giddey and Coby have had tremendous stretches of play but we can't yet say for certain if they've truly made a huge leap or just an extended hot streak.

[CobysHairpick]

Mannnnn I really really wanted Maluach

This is probably the next best thing for us

Yeah my heart sank when Malauch went 10. Don’t know what Phoenix is doing as they also traded 2 first round picks for Mark Williams and they have Nick Richards already on their roster. Don’t know much about this guy but looks like someone with upside and is really young. 18 I think.

Maybe the Suns want Maluach to learn from Bol Bol

[Red8911]

I just don’t see it. Any reason to like this pick. On paper tools are there, but I don’t see basketball player in that body. This is not Matas situation. No skillset whatsoever to use those tools in possible upside. Because he looks like tall guy with size try playing basketball instead basketball player with tools and height.

Maybe I am wrong but it’s whatever pick. At #12 which is garbage position to pick you can only pick this and pray it works out

I can see why you’re negative about this I don’t blame you. Right now this kid can’t shoot(mostly just dunks), can’t dribble, lacks strength, questionable IQ and playing in the German League.

At the same time though that’s why he’s a project and has a ton of potential to improve since he’s only 18. We ll see, only time will tell.

Many here say give him 2-3-4 yrs. I think even by this season we will be able to tell if Noa is a bust or not, even if he plays limited minutes.

[Red8911]

An article in the Tribune this morning said the Bulls haven’t ruled out stashing him in Europe next year. Did Eversley say that in his presser?

https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/06/25/chicago-bulls-draft-noa-essengue/

Wow.

Not sure how I feel about that. On one hand, it's general practice to keep young, raw, foreign players stashed overseas. That way we're not wasting a year or two of his cheap rookie contract if he's not ready to play NBA minutes, so it makes sense from that perspective.

But on the other hand, this kid needs to get into an NBA weight and development program ASAP and practice everyday against NBA players, even if we're not exactly near the top at player development.

I can't see him carving out much of a role as a rookie, given how light and raw he is. I feel like you'd have to give him at least 10 token minutes per game, but maybe they think he'd be better off playing big minutes overseas than playing a few minutes here and there in the NBA and starting in the G League.

Gut instinct says get him to the NBA asap.

That article is wrong, he will be in summer league and on the roster this upcoming season.

[sco]

Read on Twitter

?s=46&t=xOB22xGd85UcfRRu6zUm4w

I read this as "glad we drafted this guy, he won't be taking my minutes anytime soon"

[Chi town]

Noa knows Noah.

They’ve talked. I bet we see a lot more Joakim moving fwd.

I don’t think they actually know each other.An agent knew Jo and called him so they can talk.

They’ve met and talked.

I’m betting they get close.

[ghostinthepost1]

I just don’t see it. Any reason to like this pick. On paper tools are there, but I don’t see basketball player in that body. This is not Matas situation. No skillset whatsoever to use those tools in possible upside. Because he looks like tall guy with size try playing basketball instead basketball player with tools and height.

Maybe I am wrong but it’s whatever pick. At #12 which is garbage position to pick you can only pick this and pray it works out

I can see why you’re negative about this I don’t blame you. Right now this kid can’t shoot(mostly just dunks), can’t dribble, lacks strength, questionable IQ and playing in the German League.

At the same time though that’s why he’s a project and has a ton of potential to improve since he’s only 18. We ll see, only time will tell.

Many here say give him 2-3-4 yrs. I think even by this season we will be able to tell if Noa is a bust or not, even if he plays limited minutes.

I'll give you that he can't shoot and lack strength (what 18 year old doesn't?) but his feel and IQ for the game are amazing.

This thread does a great job breaking down how he's able to be so productive, so young, without a strong handle or shot.

Read on Twitter

[GoBlue72391]

Read on Twitter

Larsa wasn't the only one getting some action on the side.

[Chi town]

Marc said Noa is staying in Chicago all summer and will play all of summer league.

Buz will be playing the first few games of SL.

[Chi town]

I just don’t see it. Any reason to like this pick. On paper tools are there, but I don’t see basketball player in that body. This is not Matas situation. No skillset whatsoever to use those tools in possible upside. Because he looks like tall guy with size try playing basketball instead basketball player with tools and height.

Maybe I am wrong but it’s whatever pick. At #12 which is garbage position to pick you can only pick this and pray it works out

I can see why you’re negative about this I don’t blame you. Right now this kid can’t shoot(mostly just dunks), can’t dribble, lacks strength, questionable IQ and playing in the German League.

At the same time though that’s why he’s a project and has a ton of potential to improve since he’s only 18. We ll see, only time will tell.

Many here say give him 2-3-4 yrs. I think even by this season we will be able to tell if Noa is a bust or not, even if he plays limited minutes.

I'll give you that he can't shoot and lack strength (what 18 year old doesn't?) but his feel and IQ for the game are amazing.

This thread does a great job breaking down how he's able to be so productive, so young, without a strong handle or shot.

Read on Twitter

The IQ and feel are exceptional. Add that to his motor and confidence and we have a player built much like Buz.