Noa Essengue's Future Bulls Fit Suddenly in Question After Ugly Summer League

Noa Essengue was already fighting an uphill battle coming into this offseason.

After sitting out essentially his entire rookie campaign, the forward had to regain his confidence on the court following an extensive rehab journey. Essengue underwent shoulder surgery in December of 2025. He put himself at roughly 95.0 percent ahead of Summer League practice, sharing that it's been a grueling recovery process, as he's practically had to learn to play with a new shoulder.

But that wasn't his only challenge. Essengue now had to return from injury while simultaneously making a strong first impression on his new front office and head coach. Bryson Graham and Tiago Splitter didn't draft him. They weren't the ones to embrace or accept the massive project that came with selecting the Frenchman.

Does that mean they showed up entirely out on what Essengue could be? Not at all, but no one could blame them for being skeptical. And it sure sounded like that's what Splitter was when he was asked about Essengue after the Bulls' first Summer League practice earlier this month:

“I think he’s a guy that didn’t play much last year, as you guys know," Splitter said. "Very long. The expectations are higher because he’s a six-ten, six-eleven player who can put the ball on the floor, shoot a little bit, do a lot of things. But, honestly, it’s too early for me to say. I want to see him in a game.”

When you're asked for your first thoughts on a player and begin with "he's a guy that did play much later year," it speaks volumes. This is especially true when Splitter uttered the word "special" multiple times when giving his initial review of Caleb Wilson.

Fast forward to when the games finally tipped off out West, and Splitter continued to say a lot by saying very little. He benched Essengue during the second half of Game 2 in Las Vegas. Why?

“Just wanted more from him," Splitter said.

In all fairness, it was a completely fair ask. Essengue looked extremely outmanned and off-balance. He was turning the ball over on repeat and stumbling to the hardwood at a record pace. What may have been Splitter's most telling comment came when asked about the latter.

“I wish I had an answer for you," Splitter said with a frustrated smile on his face.

Essengue would go on to finish his Summer League run with a little more intensity. He likely had a chip on his shoulder after coming off the bench in Game 3 and Game 4. Still, there is no question that his overall performance failed to win over those who matter most, and the Sun-Times Joe Cowley basically confirmed as much.

In a recent column, Cowley mentioned that some of the Bulls' newest faces were frustrated with Essengue's mentality:

"To Essengue’s credit he did seem to hear the message, coming out of Las Vegas with an understanding that he needs to be less emotional and more tenacious. According to a source, two traits that irked the new staff," Cowley wrote.

Where Does Noa Essengue Go From Here?

Chicago Bulls forward NoaEssengue — Jun 17, 2026; Chicago, Il, USA; Chicago Bulls forward Noa Essengue attends new Chicago Bulls head coach Tiago Splitter press conference at Advocate Center. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Look, it's not time to throw in the towel on Noa Essengue's Chicago Bulls future. The cards were stacked against him coming into this summer, and he deserves more time to get comfortable after a big surgery.

It's also not as if he doesn't check some of the boxes that Bryson Graham and Tiago Splitter seem to like. He's incredibly long and mobile, offering the kind of traits that could make him another effective two-way wing down the road. At the same time, how far down the road? And are the new-look Bulls willing to wait things out as they also try to develop their own hand-picked talent?

This leaves Essengue in a very strange spot heading into Year 2. Under the last regime, there was little doubt that he would be in the rotation and contributing on a nightly basis. The path to that much responsibility seems a lot tougher now.

Caleb Wilson and Matas Buzelis will start at the wings, while Dailyn Swain will eat up his fair share of minutes off the bench. Leonard Miller impressed during his second half of 2025-26 and seems to offer the kind of physicality this Bulls brain trust values. Jalen Smith also played his best ball at the four last year and will likely split his time again between the two frontcourt spots.

The truth is it's a more crowded rotation than meets the eye, and the Bulls likely aren't going to feel pressured to play Essengue if he doesn't earn the minutes. Again, he wasn't their draft pick.

With that said, I do hope they find some way to mix him in as the year goes on. He really does feel like someone who needs to be thrown into the fire to learn. Not to mention, as of now, it's very difficult to envision who he is at the NBA level.

Essengue's offense is extremely messy, as his ball-handling appears sloppy and his finishing has been weak. Defensively, he can move his feet surprisingly well along the perimeter and has some great length to offer around the rim. The lack of strength, however, is going to make it hard for him to handle more traditional frontcourt players.

Regardless, the only way to figure out where he fits in is to throw him into a handful of different situations. If this season is supposed to be all about development and evaluation, Essengue has to be part of the plan in one way or another.

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