The Bulls’ Summer League group ran into a Jazz team that had no interest in playing the role of easy out.
Utah was missing Darryn Peterson, Ace Bailey, and Cody Williams, but the short-handed roster brought plenty of force anyway. The Jazz played at a high tempo, leaned into the physical side of the game, and made Chicago pay for every loose handle and rushed decision. They won the battle in the paint and in transition, piled up 17 steals, and forced the Bulls into 24 turnovers.
That pressure made life much tougher on Caleb Wilson after his 35-point explosion. The No. 4 overall pick was clearly the focus of Utah’s defense, and the early returns were rough.
At halftime, he had only 7 points and was 3-10 from the field. He pressed at times, especially from beyond the arc, but he kept hunting for ways to impact the game.
A lot of players were visibly frustrated throughout the night, Wilson included. Still, he found ways to answer on the other end.
At times, he looked like a real rim protector, and he finished with five blocks and two steals. Some of those plays came through sheer force, others through timing, but the impact was obvious.
"Very active. Long wingspan.
He touches deflections. He blocks shots.
Steals sometimes are going to be - he jumps for some pump fakes and stuff like that," Splitter said after the game. "He's got to be smart about those.
But I love the effort. When you have that type of effort, that type of physicality and willingness and instincts, that's awesome.
You can teach from that. He's going to get better."
Wilson’s offense finally caught fire in the fourth quarter, when he scored 12 of his 19 points and went 5-6 from the floor. That stretch included the night’s loudest moment, a poster dunk that showed off his burst getting past the first line of defense. He followed it with a made three and another block that belonged on the highlight reel.
For a Summer League game, that’s the kind of swing you’re looking for. Chicago is 0-2, and Wilson didn’t have a clean night offensively for long stretches, but he still flashed the two-way package that has everyone paying attention.
Noa Essengue had a much rougher time.
After a quieter Game 1, he came out with more edge and attacked the rim early, eventually getting his first bucket on a breakaway dunk. But the night quickly turned into one to forget for the second-year forward. He struggled with physical play, hit the floor often, and seemed to have trouble staying balanced through contact.
The bigger issue looked even more basic than strength. Too often, Essengue appeared out of sync with his own movements, stumbling on drives or losing the ball before he could finish the play. He did have moments where a whistle might have gone his way, and he brought that up afterward, but most of the turnovers and fouls seemed to come from his own sloppiness.
Tiago Splitter made the move to bench him to open the second half, and he was direct afterward.
"I just wanted more from him," Splitter said bluntly.
Essengue also spoke about the rough outing, noting the officiating while saying he’s still adjusting to the physicality after so much time away. That’s part of the Summer League process, but it doesn’t change the fact that this was a disappointing showing from one of the more experienced players on the roster. If he wants more trust from the coaching staff and front office, he’ll need a much cleaner performance next time.
Jaylin Sellers kept showing why Bryson Graham made him the first two-way signing after the draft. The shot wasn’t falling at a level that will turn heads - he finished 4-12 - but he never disappeared from the action.
He attacked on both ends, took open threes without hesitation, and stayed active as an on-ball defender. His feet looked good, and he stayed connected to his assignment.
Donovan Atwell also stood out. Last season he was one of the best pure shooters in college basketball, and that jumper already looks like the cleanest one on the Summer League roster.
He gets up and down the floor quickly, and while he’s probably not going to be much more than a 3-point specialist, he brings real effort every time he’s out there. The shot is smooth enough to make you wonder whether he could grow into something like the next Isaiah Joe or Sam Hauser.
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