Jun 25, 2025; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Noa Essengue stands with NBA commissioner Adam Silver after being selected as the 12th pick by the Chicago Bulls in the first round of the 2025 NBA Draft at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images Brad Penner-Imagn Images

Bulls Make Major Announcement On 2025 NBA Lottery Selection

Originally posted on Chicago Bulls on SI
By Liam Willerup | Last updated Jul 4, 2025 3:26 PM ET

The Chicago Bulls very well could've had a Top 10 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, had that not been for their second-half performance, where they kept themselves in the Eastern Conference play-in tournament. While it put them out of reach from selecting a Nikola Vucevic replacement in Khaman Maluach, they did get to see massive progression from Josh Giddey and others.

With the 12th overall pick, plenty of names were being floated around as potential options for the Bulls. Collin Murray-Boyles, Derik Queen, Joan Beringer, and Noa Essengue were among those names, as Chicago opted to go with the latter. With the NBA Summer League around the corner, the team has made an announcement on their lottery selection.

According to Bulls PR, the Bulls have announced that the team has signed their 12th overall pick, Essengue, to a contract, with the terms of the deal not being disclosed due to team policy. While the terms aren't made known, it is known that the contract is four years in total, with the first two years being guaranteed and the rest being team options.

Playing with Ratiopharm Ulm this past season, Essengue averaged 9.7 points, 4.5 rebounds, and shot 47.4% from the field in 30 games. Essengue bumped up those averages during the postseason, averaging 10.7 points, 5.7 rebounds, and shooting 56.3% from the field in 11 games.

OFFICIAL: We have signed rookie F Noa Essengue. https://t.co/plvdrKyjWD pic.twitter.com/AnSMeFzYJh
— Chicago Bulls (@chicagobulls) July 4, 2025

The Bulls will hope that Essengue can be a long-term fit alongside 2024 All-Rookie forward Matas Buzelis, but the team is still a few pieces away from being a legit playoff team in the Eastern Conference.

This article first appeared on Chicago Bulls on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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