Bulls take 18-year-old Noa Essengue
at No. 12 for Central Division's lone first-round pick
[June 26, 2025]
By STEVE MEGARGEE
The Chicago Bulls took a chance on the long-term upside of
18-year-old French forward Noa Essengue to highlight an otherwise
quiet opening round of the NBA draft for Central Division teams.
Chicago was the only Central team with a first-round selection
Wednesday. The Bulls used the No. 12 pick on the 6-foot-9, 194-pound
Essengue, who has played professionally in Germany the last two
years.
“I think I can do pretty much everything, all the little details
like shooting, passing the ball, attacking the rim," Essengue said.
"That’s my biggest strength right now, is the open-court game.”
Essengue has been playing for Ratiopharm Ulm, but he left his team
as it competed in the German league finals to be in New York for the
draft.
“We talked a lot with my coaching staff, all the staff from Ulm,"
Essengue said. “(I said), ‘If I go to the green room, I’m leaving.
The coach said, ‘Yes, go to see your dream.’ So yeah, the day I
(found out) I’m in the green room, Coach said, ’Just go there and
live your dream, and we’re gonna finish the job.’ ”
Essengue is the second-youngest player in this draft class and only
three days older than No. 1 overall pick Cooper Flagg, the former
Duke star who went first overall to Dallas.
His youth means that this pick might not pay immediate dividends for
the Bulls, who have just one playoff appearance in the five seasons
since Arturas Karnisovas was hired as executive vice president of
basketball operations.
“I see him as a two-way player who can impact the game both
offensively and defensively," Bulls general manager Marc Eversley
said. “His ability to get to the free-throw line and play downhill
is super intriguing to us. I think he’ll be able to be a versatile
wing defender.”
Chicago went 39-43 for the second straight season and finished ninth
in the Eastern Conference before getting knocked out of the play-in
tournament by Miami for a third consecutive year.
While Chicago was the only Central Division team to pick Wednesday,
the reigning Eastern Conference champion Indiana Pacers, Cleveland
Cavaliers, Detroit Pistons and Milwaukee Bucks all have second-round
selections Thursday.
The Pacers traded out of the first round last week when they sent
the No. 23 overall selection to New Orleans. In that deal, the
Pacers reacquired their own 2026 first-round pick that had been sent
to Toronto in the trade that brought Pascal Siakam to Indiana. New
Orleans had landed that pick in a trade that sent Brandon Ingram to
Toronto.
Chicago Bulls
Needs: The Bulls were seeking frontcourt help, particularly at
center with veteran Nikola Vucevic entering the final season of a
three-year, $60 million deal.
Who they drafted: Essengue at No. 12 overall.
NBA comparison for Essengue: His ball-handling skills and ability to
finish and defend have drawn comparisons to Pascal Siakam and
Nicolas Batum. But he will need to improve his shooting. Essengue
turns 19 in December.
Detroit Pistons
Needs: The Pistons could use some size and outside shooting. They
lacked frontcourt muscle when burly forward Isaiah Stewart missed
much of the first-round playoff matchup with the New York Knicks.
Detroit also needed to make more 3-pointers in the closely contested
series. The three-time championship franchise finally has a star to
build around in All-NBA third team guard Cade Cunningham. Now, it
needs time to determine if former first-round picks Jaden Ivey,
Ausar Thompson and Ron Holland can help Cunningham on the perimeter.
[to top of second column] |
Noa Essengue poses for a photo with NBA commissioner Adam Silver
after being selected 12th by the Chicago Bulls in the first round of
the NBA basketball draft, Wednesday, June 25, 2025, in New York. (AP
Photo/Adam Hunger)
Who they drafted: Detroit didn’t have a first-round
pick. The Pistons own the seventh pick in the second round, No. 37
overall.
Milwaukee Bucks
Needs: Damian Lillard’s torn Achilles, Gary Trent Jr.’s unrestricted
free agency and Kevin Porter’s potential free agency (he has a $2.5
million player option) creates plenty of backcourt questions. The
Bucks also could use a young big man. Brook Lopez and Jericho Sims
are unrestricted free agents, and Bobby Portis could join them if he
doesn’t pick up his $13.4 million option
Who they drafted: The Bucks didn’t have a first-round pick. They
pick 47th overall in the second round.
Cleveland Cavaliers
Needs: Cleveland doesn’t have many roster holes, but it does have a
need for a big body in the middle to add depth. The Cavaliers have
Jarrett Allen and NBA defensive player of the year Evan Mobley, but
not much else when it comes to someone with size and who can be
physical in the paint. That need was apparent during their
second-round playoff loss to Indiana.
Who they drafted: The Cavs didn’t have a first-round pick. They have
two second-round selections: No. 49 and No. 58.
Indiana Pacers
Needs: With centers Myles Turner, Thomas Bryant and Isaiah Jackson
all potentially hitting free agency, Indiana's most glaring hole is
frontcourt depth. Indiana would like to re-sign Turner, a deal that
could send the Pacers into the first salary cap apron. Finding an
experienced big man would be ideal. Even after losing Tyrese
Haliburton to a torn Achilles tendon, Indiana still has plenty of
backcourt bodies.
Who they drafted: Indiana didn’t have a first-round pick. The Pacers
have a second-round selection at No. 54 overall.
___
AP sports writers Larry Lage, Michael Marot, Joseph Reedy and Andrew
Seligman contributed to this report.
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