Bulls Draft: Marquese Chriss

Forget everybody else on the draft. This year, the Chicago Bulls should expend all effort to get Marquese Chriss.

He plays like a wing, but his position in college is power forward at 6’9″, 225 lbs. He can post up with the best of them, but his strength is in transition offense and transition defense.

Projected to be available at the 14th pick, late bloomer Marquese Chriss has grabbed our attention as a possible cog for Hoiball.

Having only played basketball for four years, Chriss will only be 18 by July this year. He may be the most exciting shot blocker in the draft (averaging 1.6 per game at Washington) because he runs after fast-breaking opposing players and swats lay-ups into the stands.  He can run alongside or chase down an attacking player on the break and alter or outright block their shot.

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Chriss makes volleyball blocks of opponent’s post-ups. Although his team only made the NIT, they made the quarterfinals and Chriss showed glimpses of how devastating a player he could turn out in the future for a run-and-gun team. He has long arms enough to wreck havoc in the passing lanes but his standing reach is only 8’9″, so he compensates with his explosive jumping ability.

As a weak side defender, Chriss may be even better than taller power forwards and centers because he can cover ground and come from out of nowhere to block shots with his timing and explosive athleticism. His one-on-one defense is not of the lockdown variety, but he can hold his own against quicker wings and go head-to-head with stronger bigs using just his athleticism.

Chriss can ably cover penetrations and alter shots. He grabbed 5.8 rebounds and registered 1.6 blocks as a freshman, while scoring 13.8 points a game. As a relentless defender, he also set the Pac-12 record for 138 fouls and was disqualified 15 times as a freshman. He can rein in his wildness at the next level, but there is nothing Paxson or Hoiberg may want more than a dedicated defender doing his job.

If he learns to handle the ball as well as 6’11” “point guard” Giannis Antetokoumpo, Marquese Chriss (who will still grow taller) might turn out to be the next franchise player for the Bulls; as good a point forward as Scottie Pippen, I dare say.

His upside should excite the Bulls front office and even convince them to wrangle a higher spot on the draft to grab Chriss. Best thing is he doesn’t have the bonkers of Tyrus Thomas, except for his bonkers of a defensive skill set and Chriss has an even better skill set on offense than Thomas.

His role on offense is going to be a joy to watch if he plays in a Hoiball system. He’s a 35 percent shooter from three-point range and capable of rim attacks as a wing big for Derrick Rose and Justin Holiday, or as trailer for dunk putbacks on fast breaks.  Expect nightly, highlight-film lobs on Bulls fast breaks, backdoor cuts and vicious tap-dunks of misses. Chriss has very good hands and can catch the ball while running to the hoop.

In half-court sets for the Bulls, Chriss can post-up smaller opponents using turn-arounds, pivoting jump hooks and he can initiate offense from the perimeter facing the basket driving to the hoop.  As part of the pick-and-roll, Chriss is as deceptively athletic as 6’10” Bulls power forward Cristiano Felicio, diving to the rim for more highlight film slams.

Next: Putting the 2015-16 season to rest for the Bulls

Marquese Chriss is this draft’s freak athlete who may potentially become a franchise player if he is groomed properly and given the chance to shine.  If his combine numbers breach the roof, expect other teams to also have their eye on him and gobble him up in the top 10 pick.  His partner point guard in Washington, Dejounte Murray is projected to be a top-10 pick.

The secret’s out of the bag.