Noa Essengue posts two steals, two blocked shots

Friday’s game was Essengue’s first action since November 24, as he required season-ending shoulder surgery in early December. With only two NBA games under his belt, this summer league experience is important for the 6-foot-10 forward, who appears to have added some weight/muscle to his slender frame. Essengue didn’t offer much scoring against the Grizzlies, but the six defensive contributions are something that new Bulls head coach Tiago Splitter can work with as he rebuilds the team.

While Essengue has not been part of the Bulls’ rotation when healthy, he will miss out on some valuable opportunities, even though that was more likely to happen with the team’s G League affiliate than in Chicago. Essengue’s absence won’t affect redraft leagues, but fantasy managers in dynasty formats will want to stash the lottery pick in an IL slot if possible.

Essengue has only appeared in two games this season, so his absence does not affect fantasy basketball or the Bulls’ rotation. Unfortunately, the shoulder injury means he’s missing out on an opportunity to play significant minutes for the team’s G League affiliate. Essengue should only be rostered in dynasty leagues.

Essengue has played roughly six minutes across two appearances this year. His absence won’t alter Chicago’s rotation.

Terry is dealing with a strained left calf, so he may be out for a while, even though the Bulls have not announced an official timeline. His absence does not affect fantasy basketball, as he’s on the back end of the Bulls’ rotation when healthy. Noa Essengue picked up a few minutes on Saturday, but there’s no need to consider him in redraft leagues.

It’s unclear if these injuries will actually keep either player from being available for the regular season opener on Wednesday against Detroit. Neither is expected to start, but their potential absences could open up minutes for Kevin Huerter, Dalen Terry and rookie Noa Essengue.

Essengue got his first taste of preseason action on Tuesday night after Chicago selected him with the 12th pick this summer. It wasn’t a spectacular debut, and Billy Donovan didn’t get him in the game early; he only ended up playing 14 minutes. He may have to work for his spot in the rotation, but Essengue will be worth keeping tabs on during his rookie year.

Despite suffering a right quad contusion during Saturday’s loss to the Kings, Essengue was in the starting lineup on Monday. And the first-round pick played well against the Pacers, shooting 50 percent from the field overall and 3-of-8 from beyond the arc. With Matas Buzelis likely done for the summer, there may be an opportunity for Essengue to show what he can do as the top scoring option. That is, if he isn’t also sidelined for the rest of the week.

Essengue’s Saturday evening ended painfully, as he suffered a right quad contusion during the third quarter. The first-round pick played 19 minutes, finishing with 12 points, 10 rebounds, one assist, one steal and one blocked shot. Essengue’s fantasy prospects for the 2025-26 season depend somewhat on Patrick Williams, who has failed to provide consistent production throughout his Bulls career. Even if he does not offer much fantasy value as a rookie, Essengue will be worth having in dynasty leagues.

As one of the youngest prospects in this class, Essengue is an intriguing two-way talent. He stands 6'10" without shoes and has nearly a 7'1" wingspan, which will help him contribute defensively early on.. There isn’t a ton of offensive creation in his game at this point, but he can still find ways to make an impact, especially as a cutter. In 59 games for Ratiopharm Ulm this season, Essengue averaged 10.8 points, 5.0 rebounds and 1.2 assists in 22.9 minutes per game. His postseason performance featured plenty of highs and lows, which isn’t surprising for an 18-year-old playing professionally. There will likely be more of the same during his rookie year. Due to his physical measurements and positional versatility, Essengue’s draft prospects improved throughout the process. Joining Chicago, he’ll look to form a wing partnership with Matas Buzelis, the Bulls’ first-round pick in 2024.