The Chicago Bulls selected Matas Buzelis with the 11th pick in the 2024 NBA Draft. Fast forward a year, and it looks like they landed one of the steals of the class. Buzelis played well in 2024, and a weaker draft class means he represents easily one of the best picks made.
In 2025, the Bulls picked 12th, and they selected Noa Essengue. The pick may have surprised some, given their need for a center and the fact that Essengue wasn’t a consensus player in that range. However, early on, the Bulls’ rookie is drawing comparisons directly to Buzelis.
Chicago Bulls rookie gets favorably compared to 2024 selection
Chicago Bulls insider K.C. Johnson reported that the word on Noa Essengue early on in the summer is that he is “mentally strong.” How has that manifested itself so far? The rookie has targeted and gone after Matas Buzelis every single day in practice.
“This is a good sign if you’re a Bulls fan, because this is a young, hungry kid, similar to Matas Buzelis last year,” Johnson said. That turned out pretty well for the Bulls, so there’s real hope that they might’ve found a diamond in the rough in 2025 as well.
Buzelis said about Essengue,” What I do is I look for love of the game in a player. If you have love for the game, then you’re going to hit your potential, whatever that is. This guy [Essengue] has love for the game.” How does Buzelis know this? Because Essengue beat the second-year pro to the practice facility on the very first day of practice.
Matas Buzelis is motivated
That is something, Johnson reported, that Buzelis prides himself on, so if someone’s outdoing him, then he’s definitely motivated. “This is a guy who’s in the gym early, staying late, [even though] obviously a lot is being thrown at him,” Johnson concluded.
The Bulls are in desperate need of true franchise cornerstones. They’re still not sure what to do with Coby White, and they’re in negotiation with Josh Giddey, but he doesn’t exactly feel like a face-of-the-franchise player, either. Maybe it’s Buzelis, but it might also be Essengue.
Chicago Bulls get good news in Josh Giddey negotiations
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