Chicago Bulls Profile: Cristiano Felicio

The Chicago Bulls’ first season under new head coach Fred Hoiberg doesn’t start for a couple of months, but it’s a great time to get to know everyone on their roster and what to expect from them this season. Here’s a look at the first Chicago Bulls profile: the Brazilian big man Cristiano Felicio.

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The Bulls signed Cristiano Felicio after he impressed the coaching staff with his play during the Las Vegas Summer League.

Felicio signed a multi-year deal with the Bulls and even though he won’t be dressed for most of their games this year, it’s a great opportunity for him to showcase his skills and gain experience at the NBA level.

International Play: 39 G, 14.3 MPG, 5.4 PPG, 4.4 RPG, 65.9 FG% with Flamengo

Felicio originally committed to play for Oregon in college, but decided to start his professional career instead after being ruled ineligible due to concerns that he signed a professional contract as a teen. He played in Brazil for the past two seasons after going undrafted in the 2014 NBA Draft.

Last year, Flamengo, Felicio’s team in the Novo Basquete Brasil (NBB), won the league title. Felicio didn’t start many games, but was a solid contributor off the bench. His field goal percentage was exceptional, but that was mostly due to him putting back offensive rebounds. He ran the floor well for a big guy and did a good job getting to the basket. Felicio wasn’t much of a force on defense, averaging less than a steal and a block per game, but that could have been due to the little amount of playing time he got.

Felicio competed for Brazil’s U-19 team in 2011, where he shot a tournament high 71 percent from the field for Brazil in nine games. He’s competed internationally since he was 18 and every time NBA scouts see him, they’re impressed by how much his game has improved since the last time. However, he has widely been considered very raw on offense throughout his professional career.

Las Vegas Summer League: 6 G, 13.2 PPG, 3.3 PPG, 4.5 RPG, .7 BPG, 56.3 FG%

He didn’t do anything spectacular during the Bulls’ six games in Vegas, but he showed he can play against NBA talent and showed that the potential is there. During the one game Felicio started, he got into foul trouble quickly. I’m surprised the Bulls didn’t play him more knowing that they were going to sign him. However, he did show good presence underneath the rim, but had no moves to the basket or when his back was to the basket.

The reason the Bulls signed him however is because of his defensive abilities. Felicio played tough defense throughout his time in Vegas.

Felicio stands at 6’9″, so he isn’t going to rebound exceptionally well, but he used his body well to get into positions to rebound. He wasn’t the most impressive player on the Bulls roster in Vegas, and definitely didn’t come in with the most hype, but the Bulls decided to take a chance on him.

Expectations For This Year

If we see Felicio play in more than five games this year, I’d be surprised. The Bulls have one of the deepest frontcourts in the NBA and if they’re playing in a blowout, they would most likely turn to rookie Bobby Portis and second year player Cameron Bairstow.

Felicio has potential, but he’s still raw offensively whenever he has to shoot or make a move to the basket. He plays solid defensem but the Bulls already have a former defensive player of the year in Joakim Noah, along with Taj Gibson down low for defensive purposes. This is a great opportunity for him, but unless a lot of injuries happen, he won’t see the court.

What To Watch For

There’s not much to watch from Cristiano Felicio on the court this year. However, his development, especially on offense, is something to keep an eye out for. If he is able to add a post move and a jump shot he could be a real force on offense. This is a great chance for Felicio to showcase his skills and prove to other NBA teams that he is an NBA talent. This is the biggest year in Felicio’s career, as this may be his only chance of sticking onto an NBA roster.

Next: Taj Gibson to host basketball camp after June's ankle surgery

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