(670 The Score) The Bulls selected 18-year-old French forward Noa Essengue with the No. 12 overall pick in the first round of the NBA Draft on Wednesday evening.
The 6-foot-10, 194-pound Essengue played for ratiopharm Ulm in Germany this past season. He averaged 9.7 points, 4.6 rebounds, 1.1 assists, 0.7 steals and 0.6 blocks in 23.2 minutes in 30 games in the regular season, when he shot 47.4% overall and 67.9% from the free-throw line.
"To be called by a team and it to be the Chicago Bulls is an amazing feeling," Essengue said.
Essengue is considered a superb athlete with the potential to be a strong defender across multiple positions. His perimeter shot has been inconsistent and will be a key developmental skill for him to work on. Essengue played for Ulm in Germany in each of the past two seasons after developing in the French basketball system.
"I think I can do like pretty much everything," Essengue said. "Like shooting, passing the ball, attacking the rim, but I think my biggest strength right now is the open-court game."
Essengue had a video call with the Bulls in the pre-draft process as he played in his German league. He left his team in the middle of the league finals to attend the NBA Draft in New York on Wednesday.
"I talked a lot with my coaching staff, all the staff from Ulm," Essengue said. "And it was like if I get in the green room, I'm leaving. And coach said, 'Yes, go to see your dream.' So yeah, on the day I know I'm in the green room, coach said, 'Just go there, live the dream.'"
Essengue will turn 19 in December. He’s the second-youngest player in this draft class.
Cody Westerlund is an editor for 670TheScore.com and covers the Bulls. Follow him on Twitter @CodyWesterlund.