Noa Essengue's second season begins with very little NBA evidence to judge. His rookie year amounted to six minutes across two games before shoulder surgery ended it, as Bleacher Nation detailed in July.
There was more production at the developmental level: 23 points and 8.5 rebounds per game across four G League appearances. Those numbers came before the December 2025 surgery and describe a small, different level of competition. They cannot simply be carried over into an NBA projection.
The summer brought another adjustment. Blog a Bull's July 17 review recorded an 11-minute outing with seven fouls after Essengue's role had shrunk from its opening shape. That is a concrete sign of an uneven return, without requiring a conclusion about what the coaching staff thinks of his long-term future.
Chicago now needs repeatable possessions from him: defensive positioning, rebounds secured against stronger opponents and useful movement when he is not handling the ball. Those are practical ways to earn minutes while an offensive role develops.
Essengue's early career has offered flashes and interruptions. A steadier run of healthy availability and competitive minutes would give the Bulls a much firmer basis for deciding how he fits.
