Matthew Stockman/Getty
The writing was on the wall in Summer League.
Even when Bulls rookie Noa Essengue was scoring the basketball back in July, there were too many moments of getting overwhelmed physically by players his age. Moments that obviously wouldn’t translate well once the 18-year-old would have to compete against grown NBA men.
Now with five preseason games under his belt, concerns became reality. A reality that screams that at least for the start of the regular season, consistent playing time will be a tough get for the 12th overall pick in the 2025 draft.