Noa Essengue gets a second chance after a lost rookie year
DIRECT ANSWER: Chicago Bulls forward Noa Essengue is getting a second chance at a first impression after a lost rookie season. The 2025 No. 12 pick played just six minutes across two NBA games before left shoulder surgery ended his year. Now 19 and nearly 100 percent healthy, he enters 2026 NBA Summer League under new coach Tiago Splitter to finally show Chicago who he is.
For a franchise recalibrating under a new front office and coaching staff, Essengue's reboot carries real stakes. Fans never saw meaningful minutes. The front office still needs live evidence that last year's lottery investment can translate.
Key Takeaways
- Noa Essengue totaled six minutes and two seconds over two Bulls games before season-ending left shoulder surgery.
- He is nearly 100 percent healthy heading into 2026 NBA Summer League, which tips off July 10 in Las Vegas against Memphis.
- Tiago Splitter sees Essengue as a versatile 6-foot-11 forward who can play positions three through five.
- Essengue still seeks his first NBA point, assist, and rebound — milestones most rookies clear early.
- Summer League is the proving ground for a player Splitter says must win him over in live game action.
Why does Noa Essengue need a second first impression?
More than a year has passed since Chicago drafted Essengue 12th overall in 2025. He debuted last November, but his on-court resume remains essentially blank at the NBA level.
He has yet to score his first NBA point, record his first assist, or grab his first rebound. For Bulls fans who never got a proper look, the 2026 Summer League circuit functions less like a warm-up and more like an introduction.
Essengue frames it that way himself. "This is like my rookie season, but now I've got the experience of last year," he said. "That's a better opportunity for me."
What happened during his lost rookie season?
Essengue's 2025-26 campaign collapsed almost immediately. After logging just over six minutes across two regular-season appearances, he also played four games for the G League's Windy City Bulls while shuttling between levels.
He dislocated his left shoulder twice. Bulls medical staff recommended surgery that stabilizes the joint to prevent future dislocations, ending his rookie year.
The time was not entirely wasted. Essengue said he learned recovery and diet practices from veteran center Nikola Vučević. He also used the downtime to add height and weight, now listed at 6-foot-11 on Chicago's Summer League roster.
How is Tiago Splitter evaluating Essengue?
Essengue was the first Bulls player to speak with media after the team's opening Summer League practice — ahead of lottery picks Caleb Wilson and Dailyn Swain. That visibility underscores how closely his minutes will be watched when Chicago opens against Memphis on July 10.
Splitter's early assessment is candid. "He's very long," the first-year head coach said. "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. But honestly, it's too early for me to say. I want to see him in the game."
Splitter plans to deploy Essengue across multiple positions and will push him, Wilson, and Swain to set a competitive tone in Las Vegas. For a prospect whose first impression never arrived, that on-court test is finally here.
Follow more Fintech & Crypto Alerts coverage for market-moving development stories across sports and beyond. For full context on Essengue's road back, see NBA.com's report on his second chance.