Chicago Bulls pick France’s Noa Essengue at No. 12

The Chicago Bulls took a swing in the NBA draft Wednesday night by selecting French teenager Noa Essengue with the No. Similarly, 12 pick.

A 6-foot-10 forward boasting a 7-1 wingspan. Similarly, the 18-year-old Essengue was the second-youngest prospect in this draft class — and one of the latest arrivals. Additionally, Similarly, He was playing for Ulm in the playoffs of the Basketball Bundesliga. Therefore, a top league in Germany, until Sunday, when he flew to the U.S. For example, for a handful of private workouts before official draft activities began Tuesday.

Essengue offers plenty of upside, including a versatile physical profile and an ability to play a variety of positions. Moreover, But his game also brings plenty of wrinkles for the Bulls to iron out. Furthermore, Whether Essengue can grow into his stature. Furthermore, develop a reliable shot and learn to chicago bulls pick france’s noa play through contact will define the overall success of this pick in the long term.

Shooting jumps out on Essengue’s draft profile — and not as a positive. Meanwhile, He shot only 28.9% behind the 3-point arc this past season for Ulm. But Essengue excels in the open court. where he’s a savvy rim runner who prides himself on efficient finishing at speed and around the basket.

“I think I can do pretty much everything — shooting. passing the ball, attacking the rim — but my biggest strength right now is the open-court game,” Essengue said.

Essengue’s versatility is another notable asset. He can theoretically slide between the three. five to fit different needs in a variety of lineups, although his most natural fit is likely as a four — a position already claimed by 2024 first-round pick Matas Buzelis.

But Essengue said he isn’t picky about where he plays chicago bulls pick france’s noa in Chicago.

“If I play, I feel good,” he said.

Essengue — who’s three days older than No. 1 pick Cooper Flagg. the youngest player in the draft class — is too young to be familiar with the Bulls’ dominant days. He was 4 the last time they reached the Eastern Conference finals. 8 the last time they made it past the first round.

But that didn’t lessen the teenager’s impression of the franchise’s legacy in the league.

“It’s just amazing,” Essengue said. “I maybe do not know the miracle Chicago Bulls, but everybody loved Michael Jordan’s story. That’s a legendary franchise with a lot of championships, a lot of rings. That’s a big background.”

This is only the first step of a busy offseason for the Bulls. who were eliminated from the play-in tournament for the third year in a row after a 39-43 season. The previous season signaled an acceptance by the front office that change is necessary. resulting in the departures of former standouts DeMar DeRozan, Zach LaVine and Alex Caruso.

Despite his notable wingspan. Essengue doesn’t offer the same tangibles as other bigs in this draft — and he doesn’t give the Bulls a clear succession plan for veteran center Nikola Vučević, who has made it clear as he enters the final year of chicago bulls pick france’s noa his contract that he doesn’t wish to spend the end of his career mired in a rebuild.

The Bulls have been actively shopping Vučević for more than a year but chose not to trade him at. the deadline in February. With Essengue now in place. the Bulls will shift their focus toward moving Vučević — while also pursuing a new deal with restricted free agent Josh Giddey and potential plans for Patrick Williams, Lonzo Ball and other assets.

Essengue will arrive in Chicago next week to begin preparing for the NBA Summer League on July 10-20 in. Las Vegas.

Originally Published: June 25, 2025 at 8:43 PM CDT