Checking in on the 5 players for Bulls fans to watch from this past weekend’s action

Last week I wrote about five players for Chicago Bulls fans to watch in the Sweet 16 (and Elite 8 if they advance). Now that the weekend is over and we’re down to four teams, let’s take a look at how my “five players to watch” played this weekend. 

Devonte Graham – Guard – Kansas 

While Malik Newman has been at the center stage of Kansas’ tournament run this year, Devonte Graham has still been the leader that Kansas needs him to be.

His stats in the tournament are a little less impressive than what we’re used to, but you can tell a difference in Kansas’ play when he’s on the court compared to when he’s on the bench (which is hardly ever).

In the Sweet 16, Graham scored 16 points to go along with 5 rebounds and 4 assists helping Kansas make it to their third consecutive Elite 8 appearance.

In the Elite 8, facing their toughest opponent of the year, Graham showed he was ready for the challenge.

He only finished the game with 11 points but he also had a nice 6 rebounds and 6 assists. While he struggled to fill up the scoring numbers, he didn’t sit for a single minute of regulation or overtime which speaks to the motor he has and how important he is to the team even when he isn’t scoring.

The Bulls would be lucky to get a guy like Graham in the second round. He brings a never-say-die mentality that the Bulls seem to be lacking at the moment.

Gabe DeVoe – Guard – Clemson

Speaking of a never-say-die mentality… Gabe DeVoe was outstanding in the Sweet 16.

Kansas was the better team and eventually went on to win the game, but despite being down 20 points in the second half, DeVoe didn’t quit.

DeVoe played all 40 minutes and finished the game with 31 points, 9 rebounds, 3 assists, and 3 steals. Talk about an impressive night…

The Bulls would also be lucky to get a guard like this in the second round. His toughness seems unmatched and he would be a quality addition going forward.

Oshae Brissett – Forward – Syracuse 

Brissett and Syracuse had an incredibly tough Sweet 16 matchup against Duke. They were heavy underdogs and unfortunately for Bulls fans, this was the last of Brissett we got to see.

Brissett played all 40 minutes against Duke and finished the game with 15 points and 7 rebounds – pretty much on par with how he’s played this entire tournament. He’s been incredibly consistent.

If he decides to enter the draft, the Bulls should be excited about his athleticism and upside. But like I said, the matchup was too much for Syracuse. So for this season – Brissett is done.

Grayson Allen – Guard – Duke 

Allen played all 40 minutes against Syracuse leading Duke to an Elite 8 matchup against Kansas.

Going against Syracuse’s zone, Allen got a lot of open looks but struggled to connect on many of them. He shot a poor 3-14 from three in that game, but he still finished with 15 points and got his teammates involved with 8 assists.

Against Kansas, it was more of the same from Allen. He shot 2-9 from beyond the arc and finished the game with 12 points. But just because his shot wasn’t falling doesn’t mean Allen didn’t play well. Sometimes shots just don’t drop and that’s the reality of basketball – even for an elite shooter like Grayson  Allen.

I still believe Allen will be a good pro. Plus, he was about one inch away from one of the best shots in college basketball history.

The Bulls could use a guy with Allen’s scoring ability if he falls low enough for them to grab him with the Pelicans pick.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander – Guard – Kentucky 

Matching up with the defensive force that is Kansas State in the Sweet 16 was too much for the young Kentucky squad to handle.

Gilgeous-Alexander couldn’t get anything going from the field where he finished 2-10. But despite his shooting struggles, he still managed to get to the free-throw line for 12 shots, knocking down 11 of them.

Gilgeous-Alexander finished the game with 15 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists – still not a bad night from the freshman on the biggest stage of his basketball career.

Next: Should the Bulls consider Zach LaVine as the future 6th man?

Even though he struggled in the Sweet 16 and Kentucky got bounced before reaching the Elite 8, you can still count me in on the Shai Gilgeous-Alexander bandwagon. I think the kid’s going to be phenomenal at the next level. If he falls to the Pelicans pick, I think the Bulls should take him without hesitation – I just don’t think he’ll fall that far.