Remember Noa Essengue? The Chicago Bulls’ first-round pick in the 2025 NBA Draft? The 19-year-old forward only appeared in two games this season before being sidelined with a lingering shoulder injury that ultimately required surgery.
It was essentially a gap year for Essengue anyway, which likely influenced the Bulls’ recommendation for season-ending surgery. Billy Donovan even explained, “I think the recommendation was to get it fixed now instead of waiting, because it's something that could continue to be a problem for him.”
A toolsy prospect with big potential
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Yet, Essengue didn’t look particularly promising before being sidelined. In the summer league, he averaged 12.7 points on 41.9 percent shooting, then managed just 3.8 points on 33.3 percent in the preseason. But he was only 18 at the time, having played just one professional season in Germany’s Basketball Bundesliga—roughly on par with top NCAA conferences like the Big 12 or SEC.
That doesn’t mean evaluators lacked confidence in Essengue’s abilities, and we at Pippen Ain’t Easy certainly didn’t. He’s as toolsy a prospect as they come: 6-foot-10 with a 7-foot-1 wingspan, runs the floor like a gazelle, and has shown potential as a three-point shooter. His on-ball creation isn’t there yet, and he’s still lacking in physicality, but remember… again, he was only 18. He’ll still be 19 for the first two months of the 2026-27 season.
Chicago clearly shared that sentiment, selecting Essengue with the 12th overall pick. And apparently, that confidence hasn’t wavered, even as much of the 2025 rookie class has already exceeded expectations.
According to The Athletic’s Joel Lorenzi, the [Bulls’ view of Essengue](https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7014494/2026/02/02/bulls-nba-trade-deadline-vucevic-white-dosunmu/?source=emp_shared_article) as a foundational piece hasn’t wavered, even with the trade deadline approaching. Lorenzi writes, “…Bulls seem focused on operating around a youthful framework centered on three core players in Josh Giddey, Matas Buzelis and Noa Essengue.” He later adds, “The Bulls have consistently expressed confidence in Essengue.”
Building a young frontcourt for the future
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But that’s not all. Chicago already has a clear vision for Essengue. Despite his current lack of physicality, even in Summer League play, the Bulls see the Frenchman as their future power forward, with Buzelis shifting down to the three. As has been noted before, the [Bulls prefer Buzelis at small forward,](https://pippenainteasy.com/bulls-latest-lineup-experiment-fully-unlocks-matas-buzelis) signaling a desire to build a bigger, more versatile frontcourt.
It’s not all that surprising that the Bulls have faith in their latest lottery pick, but it’s notable for two reasons. First, it’s encouraging to see Chicago finally leaning into its youth—a stance the franchise has oddly resisted for years. Second, Essengue hasn’t exactly flashed star-level potential in limited action. At this stage, he still feels like a player who’s “two years away from being two years away.”
Even with limited experience and a season-ending injury, Essengue is now seemingly a featured piece of Chicago’s future. Enevisioning a pairing of him with Buzelis in the frontcourt signals that the Bulls are serious about leaning on youth, versatility, and long-term development.
As the February 5 trade deadline approaches, these young building blocks give the front office flexibility. They can stand pat, use Essengue and Buzelis as foundational pieces, or leverage their draft assets to add complementary talent. Either way, the message is clear. The Bulls aren’t just thinking about next season; they’re shaping the team around a young core that could define Chicago for years to come.