The Chicago Bulls started their 2025 NBA Draft by taking Noa Essengue with the 12th overall selection, a French forward who had been playing in Germany. He's the second-youngest player in the Draft at 18 years old and gives the Bulls a young player with potential to build around.
They entered the second round on Thursday with the 45th overall pick, but they ended up trading the selection, who became Rocco Zikarsky from Brisbane, Australia, to the Los Angeles Lakers in exchange for the 55th overall pick.
And with the 55th pick, the Bulls took Lachlan Olbrich, another player from Australia who had been playing for the Illawarra Hawks. Olbrich was born in Australia but came to the United States to play for UC Riverside in college in the 2022-23 season, winning Big West Freshman of the Year. He'd return to Australia to play in the National Basketball League for the next few seasons.
The Chicago Bulls have agreed in principle to acquire the draft rights to Lachlan Olbrich from the L.A. Lakers in a trade that is expected to be finalized at a later date. pic.twitter.com/gxxf6Hk8QF
— Chicago Bulls (@chicagobulls) June 27, 2025
Olbrich is a 6'10", 230-pound big man who averaged 11.1 PPG and 6.1 RPG and won a title in the NBL this season.
Jonathan Wasserman of Bleacher Report sees some Domantas Sabonis in Olbrich's game, stating, "The Australian big man brings a polished low-post game and an advanced feel for the sport shaped by years of pro experience. He’s shown patience and footwork as a scorer. He also reads the floor well and makes smart plays within an offense, giving him a foundation that could translate as a role player."
Get ready for Lachlan Olbrich @chicagobulls fans 👀 pic.twitter.com/qMvUwJVXvB
— NBL (@NBL) June 27, 2025
However, Olbrich isn't a very mobile player, as Wasserman lists his weaknesses as athleticism, defense, and shooting. Those weaknesses could make it difficult for him to carve out an NBA role early.
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