The Chicago Bulls didn’t play it safe on draft night, and that might be a good thing for them. With the No. 12 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, the Bulls selected Noa Essengue, a 6’10’’ French forward with tantalizing upside and a raw, unfinished game.
He left his German league team mid-playoffs to attend the ceremony, and the Bulls met him with a bet on potential. It’s a swing-for-the-fences pick that signals Chicago’s readiness to rebuild boldly, not cautiously.
Bulls Bet on Raw Talent and Long-Term Upside With Noa Essengue
The Bulls are leaning hard into a youth movement, and their selection of Essengue proves it. At No. 12, they passed on safer, more polished prospects like Asa Newell in favor of an 18-year-old mystery box from France who is armed with length, bounce, and positional versatility but could still be years away from being NBA-ready.
Essengue most recently played for Ratiopharm Ulm in Germany, where he averaged 12.4 points and 1.1 assists in the EuroCup competition this season. But what really stood out to scouts was the flashes of his raw talent.
🚨The Chicago Bulls have selected Noa Essengue (Forward, France) with the No. 12 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft.@Calamos pic.twitter.com/kcoMjgWoji
— Bulls on CHSN (@CHSN_Bulls) June 26, 2025
His 6’10” frame (measured without shoes), elite athleticism, and two-way tools make him a developmental dream. He left his team in the middle of a playoff run just to be at the draft. That, if nothing else, shows a young player with a belief in his future.
With Chicago finally moving on from Zach LaVine, DeMar DeRozan, and, two-time champion Alex Caruso, the Essengue pick feels like a full reset and a tilt toward a younger roster. And that’s why the risk makes sense.
Essengue’s ceiling is the kind you bet on when you have time to wait, and the Bulls clearly do. As one of the draft’s youngest players, he’ll need patience. He’s still raw as a shooter and struggles to create offense on his own. But his defensive instincts, rim-running ability, and switchability give him a clear NBA role, even if the polish takes years to arrive.
The Bulls believe the upside is worth the risk. Essengue isn’t expected to start right away — he’s raw, more of a project than a finished product. But that’s the kind of high-risk, high-reward move Chicago seems ready to embrace. After years of chasing quick fixes, this pick signals a long-term play.
The combination of Essengue and 2024 pick Matas Buzelis is now Chicago’s most visible bet on the future. That’s a pair of long, athletic, multi-positional forwards who could form the foundation of a modern contender.
There’s still a long way to go. Essengue’s shooting needs work. His playmaking remains limited. However, his frame, tools, and age give the Bulls enough tools to work on his development and tap into his potential.
