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The Chicago Bulls might have the next two Giannis Antetokounmpo-like stars, claims optimistic analyst

Originally posted on NBA Analysis Network
By Aaditya Krishnamurthy | Last updated Aug 27, 2025 9:15 AM ET

One Chicago Bulls expert believes they have two young stars who could be as great as the Greek Freak.

The Chicago Bulls have spent years trying to be a competitive side. Not since the days of Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah have the Bulls had a legitimate title contender.

Over the last few years, the Bulls have had to dismantle their 2021-22 roster due to injuries and salary cap concerns. Nikola Vucevic is the only player the Bulls haven’t traded so far.

Heading into the new season, the Bulls will be relying on their young stars. Whether that includes Josh Giddey remains to be seen, as Giddey is holding firm on his Bulls contract demands.

But according to one Chicago Bulls expert, their team has two young stars who can develop into superstar players like Giannis Antetokounmpo.

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Chicago Bulls expert says they have ‘French and American’ Giannis Antetokounmpo

NBA expert and Chicago Bulls fan, Trey Kerby, spoke recently with Kevin O’Connor and Yahoo! Sports about the state of several NBA teams.

When discussing his Bulls side, Kerby mentioned Noa Essengue and Matas Buzelis as two stars who have a similar playing style and upside to Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo.

“Draftniks out there have him [Essengue] rated as a super high upside guy, and I think that’s what the Bulls need right now.

“They show his highlight package, and his strengths, and his strengths are, to me, it seemed like running in dunking. I don’t know if he had any dribble moves in his highlight package.

“I don’t know if he was making any shots off the dribble, but he’s long, he’s athletic, and he’s super young.

“So when I’m feeling my most optimistic, I like to think that the Bulls have the next two Giannis’. “They’ve got the next American Giannis in Matas Buzelis, and then the French Giannis in Noa Essengue.

“Giannis wasn’t an All-Star as a rookie, nor was he as a second-year player, but once he put on some muscle, once he got some reps, handled the ball during the Jason Kidd era, he really popped. So yeah, I would love to see that from Buzelis this year.”

Chicago Bulls must capitalize on strong young talent

Matas Buzelis and Noa Essengue could be strong building blocks for the Chicago Bulls in the future. And if the Bulls can convince Josh Giddey to re-sign with them, he should cap off their future core trio.

The Bulls are going through a transitional phase. After the Bulls traded Lonzo Ball to the Cleveland Cavaliers, it became clear they are prioritizing their youth.

The last few years have shown that the Bulls need to have a better approach to developing young talent. Several prospects have come and gone, and the Bulls have failed to capitalize on their high potential.

That can no longer be the case, as the Bulls have a strong young core that can develop into franchise stars, and must not waste that opportunity.

This article first appeared on NBA Analysis Network and was syndicated with permission.

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