Bulls Draft Noa Essengue with 12th Pick as NBA Fans Praise French Star's Upside

The Chicago Bulls went international with the No. 12 overall pick in the first round of Wednesday night's NBA draft, selecting French forward Noa Essengue.

His selection had pundits and fans touting his upside and athleticism on social media:

So, what are the Bulls getting in Essengue?

B/R's Jonathan Wasserman compared him to Jerami Grant and Pascal Siakam, noting that he "left the German BBL Finals early to attend the draft, a likely sign he's confident he'll get taken in a desirable range. His physical tools, motor and improving offensive skills have played a key role in Ratiopharm Ulm's run. He was playing fewer minutes in the BBL Finals, but Essengue is the draft's second-youngest prospect."

The Athletic's Sam Vecenie, meanwhile, called him a "really tough prospect to evaluate," noting that he been "productive in a professional league overseas and has some athletic traits that make him potentially valuable," but adding that he "struggles to shoot the ball and hasn’t shown many moments as a high-level passer this season" alongside the need to improve his handle and defensive consistency."

The Athletic's John Hollinger did note that Essengue was the best player remaining on the board.

Late-lottery picks are hardly guarantees, and Essengue feels like a player who could be a very solid option on the wing if he hits his ceiling, albeit with major questions about whether he'll do so.

But all in all, a worthwhile gamble for the Bulls.