Chicago Bulls 2025 rookie drawing comparison to Matas Buzelis

Chicago Bulls insider K.C. Johnson reported that the word on Noa Essengue early on in the summer is that he is “mentally strong.” How has that manifested itself so far? The rookie has targeted and gone after Matas Buzelis every single day in practice.

“This is a good sign if you’re a Bulls fan, because this is a young, hungry kid, similar to Matas Buzelis last year,” Johnson said. That turned out pretty well for the Bulls, so there’s real hope that they might’ve found a diamond in the rough in 2025 as well.

Buzelis said about Essengue,” What I do is I look for love of the game in a player. If you have love for the game, then you’re going to hit your potential, whatever that is. This guy [Essengue] has love for the game.” How does Buzelis know this? Because Essengue beat the second-year pro to the practice facility on the very first day of practice.

Matas Buzelis is motivated

That is something, Johnson reported, that Buzelis prides himself on, so if someone’s outdoing him, then he’s definitely motivated. “This is a guy who’s in the gym early, staying late, [even though] obviously a lot is being thrown at him,” Johnson concluded.

The Bulls are in desperate need of true franchise cornerstones. They’re still not sure what to do with Coby White, and they’re in negotiation with Josh Giddey, but he doesn’t exactly feel like a face-of-the-franchise player, either. Maybe it’s Buzelis, but it might also be Essengue.