Rising Stars Report Card: Grading the Young Chicago Bulls
Bobby Portis
First up, Bobby Portis.
Portis has been effective in his first year in the NBA after being drafted out of Arkansas and is showing time and time again how driven he is to making a name for himself.
Strengths
Portis was virtually a steal for Bulls in the 2015 NBA Draft, considering the value he adds as a wing player in today’s world. He brings effort on every play, shoots a mid-range jump shot and bullies his opponent with his post-up play. What we didn’t always know is how much time he’d play in his first year with the squad when looking at the Bulls’ depth in the front court. In seeing the threat of injuries hit Chicago, Portis stepped up to fill the role and is making the case that he belongs in the NBA.
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Weaknesses
Portis struggles to fit in his role as a force in the post, especially when it comes to providing the Bulls with a sense of defensive prowess and hitting the boards for rebounds. This is a skill he’s clearly working on at this point in his young career and is exhibiting great improvement in every game he suits up and plays.
For all the hype surrounding Portis, he plays well into Fred Hoiberg’s system, but needs to develop skills that will make him more of a threat inside the paint. If Portis can develop the skills that make veteran center Pau Gasol famous, the Chicago Bulls will be dangerous.
Final Grade
B
Next: Doug McDermott