Chicago Bulls: 4 players that can join NBA leader boards this season
By Abe Rotbart
No. 2 Wendell Carter Jr. has a shot to lead the league in blocked shots or personal fouls per game.
He has the words “Fear None” tattooed on his biceps. He is a shot blocker. He is 20 years old with a lot to learn.
What the Bulls want to get out of Wendell Carter Jr. is a center who claims the defensive paint as his. Last year Wendell provided enough of a glimpse into what kind of player he can become if only he could stay on the court. Nobody questions his talent.
As a rookie, he led the team with 1.9 blocks per 36 minutes. However he only averaged 25.2 minutes played per game. That means he average those 1.9 blocks often while playing in foul trouble.
Per 36 minutes Carter Jr. led the team with a whopping 4.9 fouls per 36 minutes. In the 44 contests he played, he placed 7th in fouls per game.
If Carter could stay on the floor and limit his fouls, there is no reason he could not take his defensive game to another level. He knows it. The Bulls know it. If he does not correct this, he can quickly gain a reputation as a hacker and first impressions are hard to change.
The moves the Bulls made in the off-season also address this issue. They drafted Daniel Gafford, a young center to pound the board and swat away shots.
Many think that will allow Carter to play power forward at times, limiting his exposure to driving guards or posting bigs. Some fans even wonder if Carter Jr. may be a better long-term investment than Markkanen.
His main competition in the East will come from Myles Turner and Mitchell Robinson, another player that has to learn to limit his fouls. In the West, there is Anthony Davis and Rudy Gobert. Those last two represent the kind of defensive presence the Bulls want out of Carter Jr.
My positive feeling is that WCJ will play more under control this season and be among the leaders in blocks per game. If the fouls are not corrected though, he may become the next bust. No player can sink or swim more than Carter this year.