Chicago Bulls Arming Themselves with Project Draft Picks

For much too long, the Chicago Bulls operated in the middle ground of the NBA.

The team won 31 games, then 46. And have now seen three consecutive seasons hovering around 40. And while the team’s current construction could hint toward more finishes in NBA purgatory, its draft picks say otherwise.

Last year, the team gambled on forward-wing hybrid Matas Buzelis, a 6-foot-9 gamble who was previously highly touted, but saw an up-and-down season for the G League Ignite.

Armed with No. 12 this year, the team again took a risk, drafting Ratiopharm Ulm forward Noa Essengue.

At around 6-foot-10, Essengue saw a productive season with Ulm as one of the youngest players in the class. But still has needed development ahead of him. He’s among the more toolsy players in the class, but has a ways to go in becoming a put-together basketball player. 

Per a much earlier scouting report on Essengue from NBA Draft on SI: "The French forward is one of the youngest players in this entire draft class, not turning 19 until December of the 2025-26 season. With how much upside he has, teams could swing for the fences and buy into his long-term potential. He has the archetype of a player who can thrive in the modern NBA and will be one of the most interesting international names to keep an eye on this season"

Much like Buzelis, Essengue will need time to cook.

Chicago seems to be making a point with their recent selections: they’re going to swing for upside and hope that it works out, whether wins follow or not. And if they don’t, then the Bulls will at least be selecting in the upper ranks of the draft in the years to come. And the 2026 NBA Draft is looking to offer a variety of star-level talents.

Should the Bulls land on the low side of 40 wins for the next few seasons, they could leap-frog that middle ground eventually.

For now, the team looks to Summer League, where they'll be able to roll out their young players in competitive environment ahead of the 2025-26 season.