Chicago may not be stacked with offensive or defensive talent (which could present a few issues), but the Bulls apparently blow most NBA teams out of the water in one seemingly unquantifiable category: intangibles. Or at least in NBA 2K26, they do, as the popular video game has gifted Chicago the third-best "intangibles" rating of all 30 squads.
Coby White is Chicago's generally highest-rated player at 83 overall. Nikola Vucevic (82) and Josh Giddey (82, but still a restricted free agent) are the only other Bulls who top the 80 mark, with Matas Buzelis coming in just under, with a rating of 79.
Those four help boost Chicago's rank in one of the game's most obscure statistical categories -- along with another shocking name. But there's legitimate real-world evidence to back up the 2K developers' estimates.
The Bulls were one of the most clutch teams in the NBA last season
It's important to define exactly what intangibles are in 2K26. Per the game's website: "The Intangibles attribute determines a player's overall impact on the game that isn't easily quantified by standard attributes. It measures elements like a player's toughness, ability to perform under pressure, and effectiveness in clutch situations or critical possessions."
Buzelis boasts the Bulls' highest intangibles rating with a 90. Vucevic sits at 85, White at 75 and Giddey at 70.
Mind-bogglingly, Patrick Williams is one of the team's most clutch players with a rating of 80. Who would you rather give the ball to with the game on the line, right?
But these numbers don't come out of nowhere. Head coach Billy Donovan's squad was wildly adept at coming from behind to pull out wins last season. Per NBA.com's clutch stats (clutch time is defined as the final five minutes of the fourth quarter or overtime when the score is within five points), Chicago was one of the most efficient teams in the league.
The Bulls played in 34 games that were decided in the clutch last season. Their 11.7 net rating was fifth-best in the NBA, and they had, surprisingly, the fourth-best defensive rating (101.9). When things got tight, Chicago locked down on that end of the floor. The Bulls were also the second-best rebounding team and were sixth in effective field goal percentage and true shooting percentage. They scored 8.3 points per game in those situations while holding their opponents to 7.7.
There's a decent chance that group of five received a higher rating in the intangibles category just to give them an overall boost. That may be true of Williams more than anyone else. But there's valid reasoning behind the numbers, and maybe that evidence will carry over to this season and help the Bulls win a few extra games, which could mean the difference in another Play-In spot or a berth in the actual playoffs.