The Chicago Bulls knew one thing above all going into their decision to draft Noa Essengue: He's young. Very young. He is 18 years old and won't turn 19 until the end of December. That meant a strong likelihood he would need a lot of work before he could become NBA-ready. The Bulls picked him for his immense potential, not his pro readiness. Still, many fans were disappointed when they saw the rookie for the first time in the team's Summer League opener against the Toronto Raptors.
It was an ugly night for everybody. The Bulls were 17-of-55 from field goal range and 7-of-26 from beyond the arc. They also committed 33 turnovers. Essengue was at the heart of that. In 24 minutes, he scored just five points with seven turnovers, three rebounds, and no assists. He finished 2-of-7 from the field. The only solace was he had three steals and a block, showcasing his defensive skills. Don't bother telling him that, though. Essengue was unhappy with his performance and said as much after the game.
“I’m disappointed,” Essengue said. “That’s my first game. But I just have to take in. I can just get better right now. That just gives me more confidence.”
“I need to improve everything — my dribble, my shooting skills, my go to the basket,” Essengue said. “I missed a lot of shots, I did a lot of turnovers.”
Noa Essengue is hardly the only 1st round pick to ever struggle in his debut.
Cooper Flagg, the #1 overall pick, went 5-of-21 and 0-of-5 in his first Summer League game with the Dallas Mavericks. Nobody seems to be raising a stink about that. This is and always has been a process. The Bulls' goal is to let Noa Essengue play basketball against professionals. The more he sees them each week, the more he'll learn. The more he learns, the better he gets. He's a hard worker. Every draft scouting report confirmed this. All he needs is to master the American style and couple it with improving his overall strength and body mass. That takes time. It won't be surprising if Chicago stashes Essengue on the Windy City Bulls in the G League. It allows him to get much-needed playing time without subjecting him to the intense physicality of the NBA.
