Chicago Bulls’ Lottery Pick Yet to Make NBA Debut

The 2025 NBA Draft class is off to a blazing start in the association.

After lesser production from the ’24 class, the league’s newest crop has seen a return to form. Hornets guard Kon Knueppel leads all newbies with a stellar 18.3 points per game on 40% 3-point shooting. Cooper Flagg has started to turn things up a notch in Dallas, seeing multiple 25-plus-point games, and the Pelicans’ duo of Jeremiah Fears and Derik Queen are rapidly gaining steam.

As always, though, there’s been rookies on the opposite end of the spectrum. 

The Nets’ group hasn’t quite gotten off the ground yet, aside from top pick Egor Demin. Spurs forward Carter Bryant hasn’t quite seen the same opportunity he did in preseason. And the No. 11 pick in Noa Essengue has yet to touch the floor for the Chicago Bulls.

At 6-foot-10 with solid fluidity for his size, Essengue became Chicago’s pick via a solid campaign with Ratiopharm Ulm of the EuroCup. Across 18 games, he averaged 12.4 points at just 18, nabbing 5.3 rebounds and 1.4 steals. While seen as a project pick, many thought his size and feel would lend itself to early-career minutes in Chicago.

Apparently, the Bulls staff haven’t felt the same way.

The team got off to a hot start in the East, previously being one of the only undefeated teams, before losing six games in seven tries. While they were winning and losing close games, there were also opportunities to roll out their shiny new lottery pick.

The good news is Essengue has played well through two G League games. With the Windy City Bulls, Essengue has averaged 25.0 points on 53% shooting, managing to add 7.5 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 1.0 steals in the process. He hasn’t shot well from beyond the arc — doing so at just a 27% clip — though he’s taken 5.5 threes per game.