Bulls take 18-year-old Noa Essengue at No. 12 for Central Division’s lone first-round pick

The Chicago Bulls took a chance on the long-term upside of 18-year-old French forward Noa Essengue to highlight an otherwise quiet opening round of the NBA draft for Central Division teams.

Chicago was the only Central team with a first-round selection Wednesday. The Bulls used the No. 12 pick on the 6-foot-9, 194-pound Essengue, who has played professionally in Germany the last two years.

“I think I can do pretty much everything, all the little details like shooting, passing the ball, attacking the rim,” Essengue said. “That’s my biggest strength right now, is the open-court game.”

Essengue has been playing for Ratiopharm Ulm, but he left his team as it competed in the German league finals to be in New York for the draft.

“We talked a lot with my coaching staff, all the staff from Ulm,” Essengue said. “(I said), ‘If I go to the green room, I’m leaving. The coach said, ‘Yes, go to see your dream.’ So yeah, the day I (found out) I’m in the green room, Coach said, ’Just go there and live your dream, and we’re gonna finish the job.’ ”

Essengue is the second-youngest player in this draft class and only three days older than No. 1 overall pick Cooper Flagg, the former Duke star who went first overall to Dallas.

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His youth means that this pick might not pay immediate dividends for the Bulls, who have just one playoff appearance in the five seasons since Arturas Karnisovas was hired as executive vice president of basketball operations.

“I see him as a two-way player who can impact the game both offensively and defensively,” Bulls general manager Marc Eversley said. “His ability to get to the free-throw line and play downhill is super intriguing to us. I think he’ll be able to be a versatile wing defender.”

Chicago went 39-43 for the second straight season and finished ninth in the Eastern Conference before getting knocked out of the play-in tournament by Miami for a third consecutive year.

While Chicago was the only Central Division team to pick Wednesday, the reigning Eastern Conference champion Indiana Pacers, Cleveland Cavaliers, Detroit Pistons and Milwaukee Bucks all have second-round selections Thursday.

The Pacers traded out of the first round last week when they sent the No. 23 overall selection to New Orleans. In that deal, the Pacers reacquired their own 2026 first-round pick that had been sent to Toronto in the trade that brought Pascal Siakam to Indiana. New Orleans had landed that pick in a trade that sent Brandon Ingram to Toronto.

Chicago Bulls

Needs: The Bulls were seeking frontcourt help, particularly at center with veteran Nikola Vucevic entering the final season of a three-year, $60 million deal.

Who they drafted: Essengue at No. 12 overall.

NBA comparison for Essengue: His ball-handling skills and ability to finish and defend have drawn comparisons to Pascal Siakam and Nicolas Batum. But he will need to improve his shooting. Essengue turns 19 in December.

Detroit Pistons

Needs: The Pistons could use some size and outside shooting. They lacked frontcourt muscle when burly forward Isaiah Stewart missed much of the first-round playoff matchup with the New York Knicks. Detroit also needed to make more 3-pointers in the closely contested series. The three-time championship franchise finally has a star to build around in All-NBA third team guard Cade Cunningham. Now, it needs time to determine if former first-round picks Jaden Ivey, Ausar Thompson and Ron Holland can help Cunningham on the perimeter.

Who they drafted: Detroit didn’t have a first-round pick. The Pistons own the seventh pick in the second round, No. 37 overall.

Milwaukee Bucks

Needs: Damian Lillard’s torn Achilles, Gary Trent Jr.’s unrestricted free agency and Kevin Porter’s potential free agency (he has a $2.5 million player option) creates plenty of backcourt questions. The Bucks also could use a young big man. Brook Lopez and Jericho Sims are unrestricted free agents, and Bobby Portis could join them if he doesn’t pick up his $13.4 million option

Who they drafted: The Bucks didn’t have a first-round pick. They pick 47th overall in the second round.

Cleveland Cavaliers

Needs: Cleveland doesn’t have many roster holes, but it does have a need for a big body in the middle to add depth. The Cavaliers have Jarrett Allen and NBA defensive player of the year Evan Mobley, but not much else when it comes to someone with size and who can be physical in the paint. That need was apparent during their second-round playoff loss to Indiana.

Who they drafted: The Cavs didn’t have a first-round pick. They have two second-round selections: No. 49 and No. 58.

Indiana Pacers

Needs: With centers Myles Turner, Thomas Bryant and Isaiah Jackson all potentially hitting free agency, Indiana’s most glaring hole is frontcourt depth. Indiana would like to re-sign Turner, a deal that could send the Pacers into the first salary cap apron. Finding an experienced big man would be ideal. Even after losing Tyrese Haliburton to a torn Achilles tendon, Indiana still has plenty of backcourt bodies.

Who they drafted: Indiana didn’t have a first-round pick. The Pacers have a second-round selection at No. 54 overall.

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AP sports writers Larry Lage, Michael Marot, Joseph Reedy and Andrew Seligman contributed to this report.

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AP NBA: https://apnews.com/nba