Bulls' Noa Essengue: Doesn't see floor in season opener
Rotowire
Essengue didn't play during Wednesday's 115-111 win over the Pistons.
The Bulls appear to be bringing the rookie first-rounder along slowly, as he was unable to crack the Opening Night rotation. Chicago could be better served by sending Essengue to the G League's Windy City Bulls so that he can get consistent reps and development time, but the parent club could opt to keep him around while Zach Collins (knee) is sidelined.
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Bulls' Noa Essengue: Scores eight points Tuesday
Rotowire
Essengue produced eight points (2-4 FG, 1-2 3Pt, 3-4 FT), five rebounds and two turnovers in 14 minutes of Tuesday's 118-117 preseason win over the Cavaliers.
Essengue sat out Chicago's final two Summer League games due to a quadriceps issue, but he had zero restrictions throughout camp. The No. 12 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft appeared in three Summer League outings with averages of 12.7 points, 5.3 rebounds and 1.3 steals, and he carried that momentum into the preseason. There's been some talk about Essengue spending some time in the G League with the Bulls looking to bring him along slowly, so it will be interesting to see if he can keep making a case for an early-season role.
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Bulls' Noa Essengue: Full participant in practice Sunday
Rotowire
Essengue (quadriceps) was a full participant in Sunday's practice, K.C. Johnson of Chicago Sports Network reports.
Essengue sat out Chicago's final two Summer League games due to a quadriceps issue, though he's expected to be ready for Tuesday's preseason opener against the Cavaliers. The No. 12 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft appeared in three Summer League outings, during which he averaged 12.7 points, 5.3 rebounds and 1.3 steals while shooting 41.9 percent from the field across 24.9 minutes per game. Essengue may struggle to carve out a role with the Bulls immediately, as he's competing for minutes with Julian Phillips behind Matas Buzelis and Patrick Williams.
Essengue (quadriceps) will not play in Friday's Summer League game against the Jazz, K.C. Johnson of Chicago Sports Network reports.
Essengue will miss the Bulls' final Summer League game Friday due to a lingering right quadriceps contusion. The No. 12 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft flashed potential this summer, highlighted by a 21-point outing with three made threes in his last appearance Monday against the Pacers.
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Bulls' Noa Essengue: Sidelined with quadriceps issue
Rotowire
Essengue (quadriceps) has been ruled out for Wednesday's Summer League game against the Bucks, Will Gottlieb of AllCHGO.com reports.
Essengue will sit out Wednesday's game due to a right quadriceps contusion, though he's considered day-to-day. The rookie is coming off a strong showing Monday against the Pacers, when he scored 21 points and buried three triples. His next opportunity to play will be Friday against the Jazz.
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Bulls' Noa Essengue: Cashes trio of threes
Rotowire
Essengue totaled 21 points (7-14 FG, 3-8 3Pt, 4-4 FT), three rebounds and one assist over 31 minutes in Monday's 114-105 Summer League win over the Pacers.
Essengue exited Saturday's game early with a quadriceps injury but returned Monday and went the distance to finish with 21 points. Outside shooting was viewed as a question mark for him entering the 2025 NBA Draft, so knocking down three three-pointers is an encouraging sign of potential growth.
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Bulls' Noa Essengue: Cleared for Monday
Rotowire
Essengue (quadriceps) will play in Monday's Summer League game against the Pacers, Will Gottlieb of AllCHGO.com reports.
Essengue exited Saturday's game against the Kings early with a quadriceps injury after recording a double-double with 12 points (4-10 FG, 0-4 3Pt, 4-7 FT) and 10 rebounds. The clean bill of health is a relief for the Bulls, who selected him No. 12 overall in the 2025 NBA Draft out of France.
Essengue (quadriceps) finished with 12 points (4-10 FG, 0-4 3Pt, 4-7 FT), 10 rebounds, one assist, one steal and one block across 19 minutes during Saturday's 109-92 Summer League loss to the Kings.
Essengue was unable to finish Saturday's game in Las Vegas, as he suffered a quadriceps injury, resulting in only 19 minutes on the floor. However, that was long enough to record a double-double, as he put in work on the glass and in the scoring column. He ripped down a team-high 10 rebounds before being ruled out for the rest of the game.
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Bulls' Noa Essengue: Suffer quadriceps injury
Rotowire
Essengue (quad) won't return to Saturday's Summer League game against the Kings, Julia Poe of the Chicago Tribune reports.
Essengue logged 19 minutes before suffering the right quadriceps injury. He racked up a double-double during that time, with 12 points, 10 rebounds, one assist, one steal and one block. His next opportunity to play will be Monday against the Pacers.
Essengue was selected by the Bulls with the No. 12 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft.
Essengue is a polarizing prospect with projections varying widely across the first round, but the Bulls were drawn to his athletic upside. Still just 18 years old, the forward showcased his speed and explosiveness in Germany this season, averaging 12.4 points, 5.3 rebounds, 1.4 steals and 1.1 assists while shooting 56.0 percent over 18 games. Though still raw and in need of development as a shooter (29.4 percent from three), Essengue's potential was too enticing for Chicago to pass up. The Bulls hope Essengue can grow alongside 2024 first-round pick Matas Buzelis.
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