It came out shortly before the draft that Noa Essengue was one of the two players the Chicago Bulls hoped they could land with the 12th overall pick. Their wish came true as the French forward heard his name called on Wednesday night. Experts were mixed on the pick. They felt Essengue was a project. He's only 18 years old, skinny, and has plenty to learn as a shooter and passer. The Bulls could've gotten somebody more ready for the NBA at #12. At the same time, Essengue is tall, highly athletic, an aggressive offensive player, and an underrated defensive presence.
Aturas Karnisovas seemed ready and willing to bet on the kid's upside. So what were the reasons that drew the Bulls to him? There were plenty. His mental makeup was one, as was his efficiency. Yet every draft pick has an origin story, a moment where the team became convinced a player deserved more attention. It isn't hard to pinpoint where that began with Essengue. It took place on October 16th when the Portland Trailblazers hosted Ratiopharm Ulm of the German League in a special exhibition.
While the Blazers handled their business in a 111-100 victory, one player kept giving them problems. That was Essengue. The 17-year-old put up 20 points, 8 rebounds, 3 steals, and 2 blocks in 34 minutes and was 3-of-6 from downtown. Keep in mind he spent the majority of that time guarding Deni Avdija, Portland's starting small forward.
Noa Essengue proved he could hang with the big boys.
It would be one thing if he were 20 or 21 years old when that game took place. He would've been an adult man going against other adult men. Noa Essengue did that as a teenager who wasn't even of the age to graduate high school yet. That should tell you so much about his ability and mentality as a basketball player. He had no fear of the Blazers, who weren't a terrible team this season, going 36-46. Chicago's thinking isn't difficult to understand. If Essengue could put on that kind of performance with an underdeveloped body and raw fundamentals, imagine what he might become in two or three years. For a young team in transition, it felt like an acceptable risk to take. After seeing what Matas Buzelis accomplished last season, it's hard to blame them.
