Tiago Splitter Gives First Thoughts on Bulls' Noa Essengue, Who is Nearly 100 Percent

The first Chicago Bulls player to step in front of a microphone after the team's opening Summer League practice wasn't Caleb Wilson nor Dailyn Swain. Instead, it was the Bulls' No. 12 pick from the 2025 NBA Draft.

Noa Essengue had just wrapped up his first real practice in quite some time. The forward appeared in only two NBA games last year, as his Year 1 was cut short due to shoulder surgery. Throw in the fact that an entirely new front office and coaching staff have now stepped into the building, and it's been easy to forget that the forward is essentially also entering a high-stakes rookie season.

Indeed, not only does Essengue have to make up for lost time, but he also has to find a way to win over a new brain trust. The organization added plenty of competition to the roster, picking up two more talented and versatile wings that could surely eat into the 19-year-old's playing time.

To Essengue's credit, however, he didn't appear the least bit worried about the sudden logjam. The French native simply sounded thrilled to be back on the court, as well as more than willing to return to Summer League to brush off any rust.

“Not playing for a year, that was a hard time, not going to lie.," Essengue said. "Just being back out there, finding a new feeling for basketball. I got a new shoulder, so I have to learn how to play again. I just want to be back on the court, compete every game. Summer League is a great time for that.”

The Bulls will officially tip off their Las Vegas circuit on July 10 against the Memphis Grizzlies. Again, most eyes are bound to be on Wilson and Swain, but Essengue's minutes might as well be even more important to monitor. Shoulder surgery comes with a lengthy rehab for a reason, and returning to 100 percent both physically and mentally can take time.

Especially when we consider how Essengue plays, we may be able to tell a lot about how he's feeling from one game. While he may not be the most physically imposing player, he's someone who does have a knack for getting to the free throw line and attacking hard in transition. Will he be any more hesitant to initiate that contact with his new shoulder? Will he look nearly as comfortable trying to finish around the rim?

If one thing is for sure, his comments about learning to play again were quick to give some Bulls fans pause online. However, Essengue's words came off far more reasonable than concerning. He hasn't seen consistent contact yet and is only now returning to a normal practice schedule. The whole point of this period is to get him back up to speed and feeling in tip-top shape by October.

“I would say I’m like 98 percent. I feel great," Essengue said. "I’m still working on my range of motion and all that, but I feel great.”

Tiago Splitter Shares First Thoughts on Noa Essengue

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

Noa Essengue's first major task is to win over his new head coach.

A former big man known for his mix of physical rebounding and high-IQ decision-making, impressing Tiago Splitter as a six-foot-eleven forward will not be easy. When asked about the 2025 first-rounder, Splitter wasn't hesitant to mention how much time Essengue missed one year ago. But that doesn't mean he didn't understand the upside.

“I think he’s a guy that didn’t play much last year, as you guys know. He’s very long. The expectations are higher because you see a 6-11 player who can put the ball on the floor, shoot a little bit, can do a lot of things," Splitter said. "But, honestly, it’s too early for me to say. I want to see him in the game. See how he approaches every possession, how he fights every possession.”

To be frank, it's a pretty brutally honest assessment from the Bulls' new leader. Perhaps we shouldn't have expected anything less, though. Splitter doesn't come off as someone who will be easy to dazzle. He also insisted that he will specifically push Essengue, Wilson, and Swain to step up as leaders over the next few weeks and set a tough tone.

Speaking of which, it will be fascinating to see how the head coach decides to orchestrate the starting lineup and rotation. He said that Essengue has the tools to play positions 3-5, and we all know multi-positional play is what has stood out about the two rookies, as well. Nevertheless, Splitter's job will be to put each player in the best position to succeed. It should be a great first test for the young head coach.

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