The Chicago Bulls knew Noa Essengue was raw when they selected him with the No. 12 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. The Frenchman was the youngest player in the class, and the franchise was prepared to let him play through some growing pains in the G League.
But Essengue has dominated with the Windy City Bulls while the NBA squad deals with a limited frontcourt, which means Chicago is facing a reality it wasn't prepared for: The 18-year-old has a clear role to play in the big leagues right now.
The Chicago Bulls need Noa Essengue
Head coach Billy Donovan has been missing his backup center, Zach Collins, since the preseason. The 28-year-old has yet to make his 2025-26 debut as he recovers from wrist surgery. Collins appears to be on track for a return in early December, but his absence has been felt through the first month of the year.
Meanwhile, Nikola Vucevic missed a Nov. 24 road loss to the New Orleans Pelicans with right knee soreness. It's not a long-term injury, but Vucevic turned 35 in October, is in his 15th NBA season, and could play his 1,000th game before the calendar rolls to 2026. He has been unbelievably durable during his career, but at some point, age and wear and tear will catch up to him.
The only other "big men" on the current roster are 21-year-old Matas Buzelis, who's more of a wing by trade, and Jalen Smith, who stands 6-foot-9 and weighs 215 pounds on a good day.
Essengue isn't a towering, burly physical presence by any means, but he gives Donovan some elements that Vucevic, Collins, Buzelis or Smith do not.
Essengue is showing he's NBA-ready
The youngest player in the G League is averaging 25.0 points and 7.5 rebounds on 53 percent shooting in his first taste of pro action -- yet he's only played six total NBA minutes.
Without Vucevic and Collins in the 143-130 loss to the Pelicans, Buzelis started as the nominal center and Smith played 26 minutes off the bench.
The Bulls were outrebounded 55-33 and allowed New Orleans (3-15) to score a ridiculous 78 points in the paint. Pels center Yves Missi grabbed 10 offensive boards, while Chicago had four -- as a team.
Essengue weighed in at just 204.0 pounds at last year's draft combine. But he also measured 6-foot-10 without shoes with a 7-foot-1 wingspan and 9-foot-2 standing reach. His movement skills for someone that size are graceful and elite, which is what made him such a tantalizing prospect.
Will he help Chicago dominate the boards at the NBA level? Not yet. Will he fill Vucevic's role as a scorer? Not yet. But his physical skills alone will help the Bulls better defend the paint and the rim and generally cause more chaos.
Getting Vucevic and Collins healthy will be a major step for this roster, but neither can be counted on to play heavy minutes the rest of the way. Neither can Essengue, but he's showing he can help the Bulls in the areas they need it most, and it's time they recognize that.