After being taken with the 12th pick in the 2025 draft, Noa Essengue finally saw the court for the first time in the Bulls’ 16th game of the season.
As Julia Poe of the Chicago Tribune explains, the same patience he showed while waiting for his debut carried over into his first NBA minutes.
In four minutes of action, Essengue attempted only one shot – and missed – leaving that lone field-goal attempt as his only mark on the box score.
Even so, he wasn’t bothered by the quiet stat line or the long wait to get his opportunity.
“It was nice to get on the court with my teammates since I’ve worked two or three months now,” Essengue said. “I just enjoyed it. I know I don’t got a lot of time so I just tried to enjoy every moment.”
Head coach Billy Donovan said that even such a short stretch gave him something to evaluate.
“I’d like to see him get his motor going a little bit more,” Donovan said. “But I was happy I could throw him in there for a few minutes.”
Bulls Notes: Buzelis, Essengue, Smith, Vucevic https://t.co/M1Q1yAZaXf pic.twitter.com/zJxB6BQ9fv
— Hoops Rumors (@HoopsRumors) November 24, 2025
