The Chicago Bulls will tip off the NBA 2k26 Summer League against the Toronto Raptors on Friday, July 11 at 7:00 p.m. CT. This highly anticipated clash will be Bulls fans' first glimpse of 12th overall pick Noa Essengue in action.
Following the bout with Toronto, the Bulls will take on the Sacramento Kings, Indiana Pacers, and Milwaukee Bucks. However, the marquee matchup amongst the four contests is against the Raptors, not only because it's the first time Essengue will suit up for the Bulls, but because of who he'll be matched up against—Collin Murray-Boyles.
Toronto notably selected South Carolina forward Murray-Boyles with the ninth-overall pick. Prior to the NBA Draft, it was reported that the Bulls' draft decision would come down to Essengue, and you guessed it, Murray-Boyles.
It was widely assumed that Murray-Boyles would still be available by the time the Bulls were on the clock. The Ringer and No Ceilings projected Murray-Boyles to go 15th, and ESPN and Bleacher Report had him going to Chicago at No. 12.
Surprisingly enough, all four media outlets projected Essengue to go higher than 12th, with three of the four mock drafts placing the French wing in Toronto. The lanky combo forward sure seemed like a Toronto selection. Former Raptors' executive Masai Ujiri has long coveted Essengue's archetype. Days before the draft, the Frenchman added fuel to the fire, comparing himself to Pascal Siakam, Scottie Barnes, and Kawhi Leonard.
Essengue versus Murray-Boyles will answer several questions
Regardless of the players Essengue models his game after, Toronto opted to select Murray-Boyles, despite already rostering a glut of interior-oriented wings, namely Barnes and Brandon Ingram. Not that Essengue is an ideal floor-spacer, but he at least attempted more than 2.0 three-pointers per game.
Nonetheless, the Raptors didn't draft Murray-Boyles at ninth overall to space the floor. The 20-year-old is an extremely versatile defender who can match up against positions one through five. He's bulky enough to bang in the post and nimble enough to stick with guards on the perimeter. Murray-Boyles' defense was his main attraction coming out of South Carolina.
On the other hand, Essengue's sky-high upside was his pre-draft calling card. Essengue has yet to even graze his ceiling as the second-youngest prospect in the draft. He's 6-foot-10 with gazelle-like speed. The Frenchman is dangerous in transition and projects as a multi-faceted defender like Murray-Boyles.
Yet, when discussing Essengue, using "projects" is common when describing his game because he is still so raw. Whereas Murray-Boyles played two seasons collegiately, earning an All-SEC Freshman Team and All-SEC Team designation in back-to-back seasons.
Thus, July 11 is more than a Summer League contest between two rebuilding teams. It's Bulls fans' first glimpse into how NBA-ready Murray-Boyles is and how much further Essengue still needs to go to make an impact in the pros. Conversely, it'll provide a glimpse into whether Murray-Boyles needs further refining and if Essngue is ahead of schedule—the ideal outcome for Bulls fans.