Outside of last year’s fortunate selection of Matas Buzelis, the current Chicago Bulls regime has found most of its success in the second round of the draft, landing rotational pieces like Ayo Dosunmu and Julian Phillips.
Luckily for the front office, the 2025 NBA Draft is shaping up to be one of the deepest in recent memory, especially outside the lottery. With the 2024-25 season being the final year in which college athletes could use their extra season of COVID eligibility, many graduating seniors and fifth-year players have been forced to remain in the draft without the option to return to school.
5 Second-round targets with a translatable NBA skill
This gives teams like the Bulls a real opportunity to find value with their later picks. While what they do at No. 45 will likely depend on which prospect they take at No. 12, here are several second-round prospects who could come in and make an impact right away:
Johni Broome
There are only a few second-round prospects that can fill as many needs for the Bulls as Johni Broome. He’s tough, experienced, productive, and great on the glass, all things the Bulls' frontcourt could benefit from.
Broome was the backbone of Auburn’s success, totaling over two blocks per game, averaging 18.6 points and 10.8 rebounds. He did so with a physicality that should translate right away. Additionally, Broome has a soft touch around the rim, utilizing great footwork, good timing as a shot blocker, and he’s shown potential in expanding his range.
The only downside as a prospect is his age. Broome will be 23 at the beginning of the next season. However, if the Bulls are looking for someone who can contribute early, the 6-foot-10 big man has the high-floor and system fit that would make him a good pairing for the Bulls.
Koby Brea
This past season, the Bulls have dramatically improved their emphasis on shooting from beyond the arc. They ranked third in three-point field goals, 11th in three-point percentage, and second in three-point attempts.
If the Bulls' revamped offense prioritizes three-point shooting, why not go for the most efficient shooter in the draft? Koby Brea knocked down over 43 percent of his threes on nearly six attempts per game last season, also hitting just about 50 percent of his threes the season prior at Dayton.
Brea isn't one to create much off the dribble, but that’s not what the Bulls need from a second-round player. They need a spot-up shooter who can stay ready on the perimeter while the playmakers create, in addition to someone who forces defenses to hesitate before helping off the corner. If the Bulls decide to take a center at pick No.12, a Brea selection becomes a real strong possibility.
Eric Dixon
While Eric Dixon's NBA Draft Combine measurements may not jump off the page, but his production and ability to stretch the floor as a power forward make him such an intriguing prospect for the Bulls. The Villanova big man registered over 23 points per game last season (1st in NCAA Division I) while shooting over 40 percent from beyond the arc.
Dixon is slightly undersized for a power forward at 6-foot-8, but his strength, footwork, and feel for the game help make up for his size. The main concerns with Dixon are on the defensive and rebounding end, where he may struggle against NBA-level size and athleticism. However, with defensive-minded forwards like Matas Buzelis and Patrick Williams already on the roster, Dixon could find a valuable role as a rotational scoring option in the frontcourt off the bench.
Hunter Sallis
Hunter Sallis is one of the more interesting upside bets likely to be available at pick No. 45 for the Bulls. After two unproductive years at Gonzaga, he completely revived himself at Wake Forest, becoming the team's go-to scorer, shooting over 63 percent from inside the arc, making him a great slashing option.
What stood out was how much smoother he looked, being able to get to his spots, create for himself, and play with a better pace. At 6-foot-5 with great length and improving efficiency, Sallis has the tools to mold himself into a two-way guard who can fit within multiple lineups. Sallis is a swing worth taking on a Bulls roster that needs interior scoring from their guards.
Hansen Yang
Hansen Yang is probably the biggest swing the Bulls could take at No. 45. The big man from China comes with extremely impressive physical tools, measuring 7-foot-2 and 250 pounds with a 7-foot-3 wingspan. He also moves better than most players his size, logging a 3.01 shuttle time and a 30-inch max vertical at the NBA Combine.
While the competition he faced overseas wasn’t exactly elite, Yang showed scouts some flashes of soft touch, solid footwork, and shot-blocking instincts during the Combine scrimmages in Chicago. He’s also flashed some feel as a passer and has started to develop a jumper capable of stepping out of the paint.
Yang is definitely raw and would need time to adjust to NBA speed and physicality, but with the right development plan, he could easily be the steal of the draft. Especially for a Bulls team that should be thinking about its long-term center situation.