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Chicago Bulls rookie Bobby Portis possesses crucial intangibles

By Paul Steeno

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Whether he scores 30 points and hits the game winning shot or doesn’t make a single basket, Chicago Bulls first round draft pick Bobby Portis approaches each game with the same mentality. This singularly focused approach allows Portis to stay grounded despite drastic flux in his performance game-to-game. When the Chicago Bulls selected Portis, they got a player that already possesses intangible qualities that will set him up for success in the NBA. 

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The Chicago Bulls selected Bobby Portis with their 22nd pick in the 2015 NBA draft. In his two years at the University of Arkansas, Portis averaged 15 points per game on 52.6 percent shooting from the field and added an average of 11.1 total rebounds per game as well. During the 2014-2015 season, he was a consensus second-team All-American as well as the SEC Player of the Year.

Jul 11, 2015; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Chicago Bulls forward Bobby Portis (5) looks over his shoulder after a foul is called during an NBA Summer League game against the Minnesota Timberwolves at Thomas & Mack Center. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports

Since the Bulls drafted him on June 25, Portis demonstrated that he possesses many crucial intangible qualities that will grant him success in the NBA. His high-energy style of play allows him to impact every game even if he doesn’t put up good numbers statistically and his even-keeled demeanor allows him to develop consistency by avoiding the emotional highs and lows associated with a long NBA season.

Bobby Portis is supremely confident that his max-effort style of play will eventually equate to success in the NBA. In fact, he is so confident in his abilities that he referred to himself in the third person in his June 29 introductory press conference with the Chicago Bulls.

"Basically, just being Bobby Portis and being the guy that I am — being that blue-collared guy, that glue guy that does all the hard things, whether it’s rebounding or doing some of the small things. I’m a guy that raised himself on hard work. I’ve never been the guy that’s gone outside my boundaries and do the things I can’t do. I’ve done the things that Bobby Portis does well, and that’s what I’m going to continue to do."

In order to enjoy success in the NBA, a player must have confidence in their own abilities. For Portis, he draws confidence from his playing style and work ethic–both of which he picked up at a very young age.

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Portis grew up in an impoverished situation in Little Rock, Arkansas. His mom Tina Edwards taught him at a young age that the only way he would make it in life was through hard work. Portis applied this mentality to his basketball game and hasn’t looked back since.

"She [mom Tina Edwards] always told me to be a sponge out on the court, to be that garbage man. Even if I don’t get the ball, go get it off the offensive glass and put it back in.—-Quote obtained by Associated Press writer Jeff Arnold"

Portis plays with an intensity that few other players can reciprocate. In order to channel the energy to play this style, he uses a unique mind-trick to make himself angry during games.

"I’m very crazy. I play angry. I play mad. I play very angry because every game, I sit in the locker room and I envision that the other player on the team slapped my mom. That’s why I get mad, and now I’ve gotta get you because you slapped my mom.—-Quote obtained by Mass Live writer Jay King"

Portis patterns his game after Kevin Garnett. His scrappy, max-effort style of play has staying power in the NBA. There are many current NBA players with limited skills that retain value because of their willingness to do the dirty work on a nightly basis. Most notable in this group is Matthew Dellavedova. On his own team, Taj Gibson and Joakim Noah are players that have thrived in the NBA as high-energy individuals.

Jul 11, 2015; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Chicago Bulls forward Bobby Portis (5) drives into the defense of Minnesota Timberwolves Karl-Anthony Towns (32) during an NBA Summer League game at Thomas & Mack Center. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports

However, Portis is highly skilled and a high energy player. In many cases, the high-energy guys play this way to compensate for a lack of skill in other areas–not so for Portis. He has a versatile offensive attack, able to combine a series of post moves and high-flying acrobatics around the basket with a serviceable mid-range game. Portis’ work ethic, confidence and playing style will make him a valuable asset in Chicago. His ability to stay grounded despite the emotional highs and lows of the NBA will allow him to develop the consistency to earn a spot in the Bulls rotation.

Portis doesn’t allow each performance to cause emotional highs and lows. Following the Chicago Bulls 87-86 loss to the Brooklyn Nets on Tuesday, Portis said that he must stay even-keeled and not allow tough losses or bad performances impact his mentality in a negative fashion.

"This is the NBA. It’s a long season. You have to midnight and then the game is over. You have to think about it that way. I’m not a guy who harps on if he has a bad game. I just try to look at some of the things I did poorly and try to come back the next game and correct them. —-Quote obtained by Chicago Tribune writer K.C. Johnson"

In fact, Portis said that he gauges his performances not by stats but rather by the effort he put forth.

"See if I give 110 percent. That’s how I judge if I played well. If I’m out there being that energy guy the team needs, I don’t harp on making or missing shots. I do some of the intangibles to try to make my team win. If we win, it’s not about box scores. —-Quote obtained by Chicago Tribune writer K.C. Johnson"

Thus far, Portis remained true to his word about how he plans on gauging his performances.

On Saturday June 11, Bobby Portis sparkled in his Summer League debut against the Minnesota Timberwolves. He scored 23 points on 9-14 from the field and grabbed seven rebounds. In a  matchup that featured his former SEC rival and first overall pick in the 2015 NBA draft Karl-Anthony Towns, Portis emerged victorious holding Towns to nine points on 4-11 from the field and nine rebounds.  Despite the glossy numbers, Portis wasn’t overly pleased with his performance in this game.

"I had an ‘okay’ game. I could’ve made some more free throws, grabbed more rebounds."

The next day Portis’ scored five points on one of ten from the field and added six rebounds in the Chicago Bulls 81-66 loss to the Toronto Raptors. Despite a poor statistical performance, Portis said in a post-game interview that his overall effort was good.

"I feel like I played good. Today I just didn’t make shots. One of those days. You can’t shoot a high percentage every day. For me my energy and effort were still there. Just on offense, I just didn’t make the shots. You can’t take that and make it seem like you had a bad game. I still tried to contribute as much as I could with my energy and effort and defensive skills.—-Quote obtained by Bulls.com writer Sam Smith"

Portis’ even-keeled approach was something that he needed to learn. The fact that he evolved from a kid that cried “after every game he lost [and] threw fits after losing NBA 2k video games” to this speaks volumes to his current maturity level (Quote obtained by Bleacher Report writer Jared Zwerling).  He believes that his growth in this department will allow him to become a more consistent NBA player.

"As a freshman, I let things affect me a lot. I had to mature a little bit, grow up to not think about those bad games I had. Now I try to channel that into being more consistent on a daily basis. —-Quote obtained by Chicago Tribune writer K.C. Johnson"

Inevitably, Portis is going to face his fair share of adversity in his first NBA season. The ability to stay even-keeled throughout the process is essential for maintaining consistency in his play. For Portis, it is easy to stay even-keeled and not get too overly frustrated or exited because he gauges his performance on something he can easily control: effort. On any given night, the shooting stroke could be off or he may get unlucky with his rebounding positioning. He can’t necessarily control these things. However, he can control the effort he exudes. If he continues to play as hard and with as much intensity as he does, he will have a role on this team.

When the Chicago Bulls drafted Bobby Portis, they selected a mature player that isn’t just NBA-ready skills-wise but also possesses the intangibles required for success at this level. His playing style and work ethic give him staying power; there is always a need on every roster for a high-energy player willing to do the dirty work. Although the Portis selection may  foreshadow an upcoming trade or release of either Taj Gibson or Joakim Noah, the Bulls may have picked the steal of the draft.

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