Chicago Bulls insider stresses patience with promising rookie

After a really rough opening game, Noa Essengue seemed to steadily improve over the course of Summer League, showcasing the potential and upside that enticed so many teams to consider him a lottery selection in 2025.

Insider K.C. Johnson cautioned fans, “This guy is going to be a project. I’m not going to be surprised if you see him in the Windy City Bulls for some minutes often this season. But you’ll also see some glimpses of that potential.”

Johnson added that what will provide the most glimpses into what Essengue can be is his length. “His ability to run the floor offensively, his ability to contest shots defensively, even if he gets dunked on every once in a while, and his driving ability. This is a guy coming into the draft who was known for his ability to get to the foul line,” he said.

Essengue’s 61.5% clip from the free throw line has to get better, the insider added, but the ability to get to the stripe is a key asset to build off of. “Again, you can see some potential here with the length, particularly when you envision pairing him with Matas Buzelis,” Johnson concluded.

But Essengue is still very young and very raw. The Bulls knew that going into the draft, and they still opted to pick him over Derik Queen, Carter Bryant, Thomas Sorber, and Joan Beringer, among other prospects they might’ve had their eye on.

The Bulls played the long game, but that’s going to require patience on the part of the fans, which may not be easy to come by as Chicago seemingly spins its wheels in the middle of the East.