Chicago Bulls: Big Ten players to watch in 2019 NCAA Tournament

The 2019 NCAA Tournament should give Chicago Bulls fans an exciting break from a tough season.

As fans of the Chicago Bulls, many of us probably pay closer attention to the Big Ten than any other conference in college sports. After all, there are a couple of schools we get to watch up close and personal here in the great state of Illinois.

Unfortunately, this year, neither Northwestern nor the Fighting Illini made it into the 2019 NCAA Tournament. Heck, even those of us who follow Notre Dame sports are disappointed, as they didn’t get into the big dance this season either.

Still, the Big Ten remains a fun conference for all of us to watch and, if we’re being honest, at times it has been much more entertaining than watching the Bulls play this year.

Although the Bulls have seemed to take a step in the right direction during the second half of the season, they still sit towards the bottom of the league in terms of overall record. Chicago has some pieces in place for the future, but not a lot of talent around those pieces.

Head coach is a controversial topic for Bulls fans, as well. While most agreed Fred Hoiberg wasn’t the right man for the job, I’m not so sure Jim Boylen is much better. Although, he’s seemed to gain the agreement of the locker room more and more as the season wears on.

For the Bulls to compete at a higher level next season, they’re going to need to nail this upcoming draft. There aren’t any Big Ten studs you’ll find within the top-5 of this year’s draft, but the Bulls do boast a second rounder.

As March Madness kicks off this week, let’s look at some players coming out of the Big Ten who worth watching in the tournament, and could end up falling to the Bulls in the second round.