Back in 2014, the Toronto Raptors drew mockery when they took Bruno Caboclo with the No. 20 pick. The Brazilian forward was supposed to be their own version of Giannis Antetokounmpo, but his only career highlight came at draft night when ESPN analyst Fran Fraschilla claimed he was 'two years away from being two years away.'
Fast forward to 2025, and the Chicago Bulls may have gotten their very own Bruno Caboclo. Noa Essengue was a polarizing and intriguing pick, and most people would agree that he wasn't anything near ready to make an impact.
Essengue missed most of his rookie season with an injury and only showed flashes in a handful of G League appearances. That's why, with Caleb Wilson in town, a new front office and coaching staff, and after a dreadful Summer League, it's only normal to wonder where the team goes with him now.
The Chicago Bulls may have to have some tough conversations about Noa Essengue
Essengue had a decent debut in Summer League before falling out of grace in Game 2. He spent more time on the floor than making plays, turned the ball over at an alarming rate, and simply looked out of place from start to finish.
Coach Tiago Splitter ultimately benched him because he wanted to see more from him, and he also had him come off the bench in the following games. Granted, he played a bit better, but the damage was already done.
Essengue was already facing an uphill battle. He's a product of the previous front office and coaching staff, so no one in Bryson Graham's or Splitter's staff holds any sort of allegiance to him. They inherited him; they didn't ask for him.
Also, the Bulls will give Caleb Wilson as many minutes and touches as he needs to develop, leaving Essengue as the odd man out and relegating him to a bench role. How long a leash will he get? How patient will the new coaching staff and front office be with him? Those are all fair questions worth asking.
Essengue's physical tools are evident, but it takes much more than that to make it in the NBA. He admitted that he needed to relearn how to shoot, which was never his best trait anyway, and he essentially wasted his rookie season.
Should the Bulls test the market and cut their losses with their former No. 12 pick? If he's still two years away from being two years away, or was Summer League a fluke? Does he even have a place next to Matas Buzelis and Caleb Wilson? The Bulls will have to ask themselves these questions in the next few months.
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