Chicago Bulls: 3 players who improved their stock in training camp
3) Chicago Bulls trending up after workouts: Wendell Carter Jr.
In the limited exposure that Bulls fans got from the short stint in voluntary group workouts/training camp, it sounds like three players really stood out from this young core. One of those players that got pretty frequent exposure on social media and in a few reports out of camp was the former Duke Blue Devils 6-foot-9 and 270 pound sizable center Wendell Carter Jr.
The former seventh overall pick of the Bulls out of the Duke hoops program in the 2018 NBA Draft had a roller coaster ride of a 2019-20 campaign. WCJ once again struggled with a few injuries that saw him play in less than 45 games during the regular season. He wound up playing in 43 games (all of which he started in) during the shortened 2019-20 regular season with the Bulls.
WCJ averaged 11.3 points per game, 9.4 rebounds, 1.2 assists, 0.8 steals, and 0.8 blocks. He shot 53.4 percent from the field, 20.7 percent from beyond the arc, and 73.7 percent from the free-throw line.
https://twitter.com/chicagobulls/status/1313486673708228610
From what highlights we did see out of group workouts for the Bulls, WCJ looked really good. The really good news is that WCJ looks to continue to try and become a standout modern big man in the NBA by extending his range and continuing to facilitate the offense from the five at a high level.
Those are two aspects of his game that he tried to work on at times during the last 18 months. But his work might finally be paying dividends. And with the improved look of the front office and coaching staff so far this offseason, the 2020-21 season might be that breakthrough we’ve been waiting for out of WCJ.