Chicago Bulls: WKU C Charles Bassey a likely pick on draft night

Now just two days away from the start of the 2021 NBA Draft, the feeling is alive and well with the Chicago Bulls that a strong draft night could be ahead, albeit a quiet one. The lone pick that the Bulls have in the 2021 draft sits at No. 38 in the second round. The other pick that the Bulls held in the 2021 draft was shipped off to the Orlando Magic at the trade deadline in the deal that saw star center Nikola Vucevic come to Chicago.

Executive vice president of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas did have top-four protection on that 2021 draft lottery pick, but the Bulls landed outside of that spot. Thus, the Bulls’ draft lottery pick this year will stick with the Magic.

The question now begs to be answered, what will Karnisovas and the Bulls do if they stick in the 38th spot in this draft?

Quite a few options exist for where the Bulls could go at 38, especially with the strong track record of international draft picks in Karnisovas’ time as a scout and NBA executive. But this is a strong draft class in general, so the Bulls could hit on this second-round pick more often than in most years.

Moreover, an option that was mentioned as a target for the Bulls in some mock drafts already is the former Western Kentucky Hilltoppers 6-foot-11 and 230-pound center Charles Bassey. A July 21 mock draft from Jonathan Wasserman of Bleacher Report had the Bulls pegged to select Bassey at No. 38 in the second round.

Bassey would be an option for the Bulls to supplement the potential addition of Simonovic to the roster this year. The Bulls would also start to round out the backend of the frontcourt rotation after a plethora of losses at that spot of the bench last season. Karnisovas and the Bulls shipped off the likes of center Luke Kornet, center Wendell Carter Jr., and power forward/center Daniel Gafford at the deadline this year.

What Bassey would specifically bring to the table for the Bulls is a former elite five-star recruit that has a high ceiling for a second-round prospect. The physical tools and proven defensive ability of Bassey should give him a high floor at the next level too.

Watch out for the Chicago Bulls targeting Charles Bassey 38th overall

Bassey is the type of prospect that should have a rather lengthy NBA career if he’s able to stay healthy. The injury track record is about the biggest concern that a team like the Bulls should have in picking Bassey.

But knowing that the Bulls could be selecting Bassey in the second round, the risk is much lower to take a flier out on him. This would also be an easy option for the Bulls to avoid having to find other big men to round out the rotation in free agency this summer.

Bassey was a decorated player at Western Kentucky. He is a two-time All-Conference-USA selection, two-time C-USA All-Defensive Team selection, the 2018-19 C-USA Defensive Player of the Year, and the reigning C-USA Player of the Year. He was one of the most dominant big men in the past three or four years among any of the non-power conferences.

Last season at Western Kentucky, Bassey averaged 17.6 points per game, 11.6 rebounds, 0.7 assists, 0.4 steals, and a whopping 3.1 blocks. And he shot 59.0 percent from the field, 30.5 percent from beyond the arc, and 75.9 percent from the free-throw line.

The night of the 2021 NBA Draft is set to begin on July 29. Unless the Bulls do move up in the draft, or conduct another big-time trade, all that fans in Chicago really have to watch is one pick in the second round.