Why the Bulls are sending Noah Essengue to the G-League
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« I think the front office has shown a lot of transparency since the draft. » To hear Billy Donovan, the decision of Fr Bulls which concerns Noah Essengue therefore not surprising. The Chicago franchise decided to send its young prospect to the G-League, to the Windy City Bulls.
Despite his status as the 12th pick in the draft, the highest-ranked Frenchman in this vintage, the Orléans native has yet to make the slightest appearance for the Bulls. The interior was tested in the preseason through five games, averaging just under 4 points (33%) and 2 rebounds in 14 minutes.
« Noah was one of the players we studied during the draft process. You never know how the draft will go or who else will be available, but one of the things we talked about before his selection was that he would be a developmental project. He wasn’t a player destined to fit into the rotation right away. We had to make a plan for him », justifies Billy Donovan today.
The plan is already in place
The plan was simple: Give him playing time during Summer League, summer practices, training camp and preseason games to see if he could make the Bulls change their minds about including him in the team’s rotation in the short term.
A failed operation, especially since Isaac Okoro, Matas Bouzelis, Patrick Williams and even Julian Phillips remained, as Billy Donovan recalls, ahead of him in the Bulls’ hierarchy. Therefore, a Frenchman is going to the development league, whose IK Bulls appreciate, but also loved to step up his game, literally and figuratively.
« He is an 18-year-old player who has huge potential for improvement ahead of him, but we will have to invest in his development. Maybe it won’t just be here. He might go back and forth between our team and the G League. These are things we already talked about in June », concluded Billy Donovan.
Note that the Nets did the same with Nolan Traorewho will also begin the season in the G-League.
2025-11-03 14:12:00
