Latest news with #ChicagoBulls
Yahoo
10 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Lakers Make Massive Roster Decision Following Bold Draft Trade
Lakers Make Massive Roster Decision Following Bold Draft Trade originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The Los Angeles Lakers have made a move in the 2025 NBA draft. The team has traded up with the Chicago Bulls to land pick No. 45 in exchange for pick No. 55 and cash. Advertisement Los Angeles had been trying to move up to land a cheap player, and Chicago bit at the price the team was comfortable with. The Lakers didn't have many assets to work with either, but they must be targeting a player in that range to make this move. However, due to this trade, the Lakers have just made a massive roster decision for the upcoming season. Because they are sending out cash, the Lakers will now be hard-capped at the second apron for next year. Los Angeles wasn't likely to go over the second apron anyway, so this likely won't affect team-building. But the Lakers are now unable to spend extra if the opportunity presents itself. Los Angeles is still searching for a center to help upgrade the frontcourt. Everyone around the NBA knows that the team needs help in that area, so the prices for a center have continued to be very high. Advertisement The Lakers also need help at the wing position, and they have been rumored to be in active discussions. Veteran Andrew Wiggins of the Miami Heat has reportedly been a target of the team, but nothing has come to fruition of yet. The front office has a lot of work to do this summer if it wants to build a title-contending team. But with Luka Doncic and LeBron James in the mix, Los Angeles will do whatever it can to win games next season. Related: Warriors' Steph Curry Sends Major Message Ahead of NBA Draft This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 26, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
13 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Mizzou Guard Caleb Grill Signs with Chicago Bulls
Mizzou Guard Caleb Grill Signs with Chicago Bulls originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Former Missouri Tigers guard Caleb Grill has found a new home in the NBA. Although he didn't hear his name during the 2025 NBA Draft, the Mizzou standout was picked up by the Chicago Bulls shortly after, signing a two-way contract. Grill averaged career highs this season with 13.7 points per game and shooting 39.6% from the field. The Wichita, Kansas, native also averaged 3.6 rebounds and 1.1 assists per game. Advertisement Grill, 25, started his collegiate career at Iowa State where he played in the 2019-20 season. He moved to UNLV for one season before returning to Iowa State for two more. After that, he kicked off his stint with the Tigers. Grill will compete under head coach Billy Donovan alongside Coby White, Josh Giddey and Matas Buzelis in Chicago. The Bulls are one of the highest-volume three-point shooting teams in the league, so Grill's sharpshooting abilities will fit in nicely. Missouri Tigers guard Caleb Grill (31) dunks in the second half of a first round men's NCAA Tournament Lee-Imagn Images Grill's most exceptional talent is his perimeter shooting. As a fearless shooter with seemingly limitless range, shooting from wherever on the court is enticing skill for a prospective NBA sharpshooter. Advertisement He shot a nearly 40% clip from the 3-point line this season, an almost four-percent difference from his prior career-best. Grill also put up 33-, 28- and 25-point games across the season, proving that he can take on the lead-scorer role. His concerns come on defense, though, where he has some work to do. Grill doesn't have the best hands, and he often struggles to stay with primary ball-handlers. However, he averaged 1.1 steals per game across his six-year career, so he's certainly capable of jumping into passing lanes and initiating fast breaks. Regardless, Grill has found a home in the league where he can develop and become a strong addition to his NBA team. Related: Mizzou Guard Tamar Bates Signs with Nuggets After Draft This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 27, 2025, where it first appeared.
Time of India
15 hours ago
- Sport
- Time of India
Who is Noa Essengue? Exploring background, parents, and his unusual journey to NBA after trying judo and tennis
Image credit: Noa Essengue/Instagram There's a young NBA star in town, and there's a buzz. The Chicago Bulls picked French teenager Noa Essengue in the NBA Draft. Until recently, Essengue was just a regular teenager playing basketball — and that too without any college experience — but he quickly became a trending topic and the talk of the town after being selected in the top 15. Who is Noa Eseengue? Born in 2006 in Orleans, Loiret, France, Essengue began his basketball journey through the French youth development system with Orleans Loiret Basket. In 2021, the then 18-year-old signed his first professional contract with Centre Fédéral de Basket-ball. After spending two years with Centre Fédéral, Essengue moved to the German league and joined Ratiopharm Ulm. He spent one season with Ulm before making a significant leap in his career. In the 2024–25 season, he joined the top professional tier and never looked back. Essengue averaged 10.7 points and five rebounds for Ulm. He also represented France at the 2024 FIBA U-18 EuroBasket tournament and later joined the senior team for the EuroBasket qualifiers in 2025. Who are Noa Essengue's parents? After being picked by the Chicago Bulls in the NBA Draft, curiosity about Essengue's background — including details about his parents' names, professions, and education — flooded the internet. Social media was abuzz with searches and speculation. So, who are Noa Essengue's parents? Essengue is the son of former Cameroonian basketball player Gaston Essengue. Gaston played college basketball for the UNLV Rebels from 2005 to 2007. He averaged 5.7 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 1.1 blocks per game in 65 appearances. Though Gaston's name gained attention during the 2007 season, he went undrafted in the 2007 NBA Draft. He went on to play professionally in countries like France and Turkey for over a decade. Essengue's mother was a math teacher at a school. But it was his older brother Mathis who was for reason behind him opting for basketball. 'I don't really have a sporty family,' Essengue told 'But I think I have the advantage of having a very close-knit family. When I was little, I didn't live with my dad, but mostly with my older brother Mathis and my mom. I followed my older brother a lot; as soon as he changed sports, I followed him everywhere. He started doing judo, I followed him and did it for five years. After that, he went to tennis, and I went to tennis too. One day he decided to play basketball, and I signed up too. I started to enjoy it and thought, 'Why not make it my career?' he revealed.' Also Read: Noa Essengue eyes 2025 NBA draft in Brooklyn after taking sudden exit from German League Standing at 6'10', Noa Essengue is a talent to watch out for in the upcoming season. Game On Season 1 continues with Mirabai Chanu's inspiring story. Watch Episode 2 here.
Yahoo
19 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
The Nets draft Adou Thiero at No. 36 — for the Lakers
When Thursday started, the Los Angeles Lakers had the No. 55 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. They then traded it, along with cash, to the Chicago Bulls for the No. 45 pick. But they weren't done, as they later shipped off that No. 45 pick to the Minnesota Timberwolves for the No. 36 pick. That pick was originally held by the Brooklyn Nets, who then sent it to Minnesota. Many thought L.A. had its sights set on taking a center in the second round, and there was a belief that its target was Ryan Kalkbrenner, a center out of Creighton University. Advertisement Instead, the Lakers are getting a wing. The Nets took wing Adou Thiero, a forward out of the University of Arkansas, and he will be a member of the Purple and Gold. Adiero is 6-foot-8 and 218 pounds and possesses tremendous athleticism. He has three years of college experience, but he still has a good amount of upside, especially on the defensive end. He averaged 15.1 points, 5.8 rebounds and 1.6 steals a game while shooting 54.5% from the field this past season while helping his school reach the Sweet Sixteen round of the men's NCAA Tournament. The Lakers need help at the wing spot, as well as more athleticism, and perhaps Thiero will help. This article originally appeared on LeBron Wire: The Nets draft Adou Thiero at No. 36 — for the Lakers
Yahoo
19 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Five things to know about Adou Thiero
The Los Angeles Lakers acquired a potential gem in the 2025 NBA Draft by making a couple of moves on Thursday. They first traded their No. 55 pick and cash to the Chicago Bulls for the No. 45 pick, and they later sent that No. 45 selection for the draft rights to Adou Thiero, who was the No. 36 pick. Thiero is an intriguing prospect who could have plenty of upside. He stands 6-feet-8 and weighs 220 pounds, and he showed a good amount of improvement over his three years of college basketball. He spent his first two years at the University of Kentucky and then transferred to the University of Arkansas for this past season, and he was coached by John Calipari during all three campaigns. Advertisement There's obviously no guarantee he will pan out, but he seems to be someone who has the tools to become a very useful NBA rotation player. Here are five notable facts about Thiero. He's very athletic Thiero is said to be one of the most athletic players in this year's draft class. At the draft combine, his wingspan was measured at seven feet and his standing reach came in at 8-feet-8.5. While his vertical leap was measured at 41 inches during the 2022 Pro Day, there's a video of him training with Jason Jerome, the director of performance training for the NHL's Pittsburgh Penguins, to reach a 46-inch vertical. He can not only throw down big dunks, both in transition and in a halfcourt setting, but he's also explosive, and those tools help him out on both ends of the floor. He's also a lob threat, which means he could be a good fit alongside Luka Doncic. Advertisement The Lakers badly need athleticism and speed at the guard and wing positions, and Thiero could help in that regard. Both of his parents were basketball players A look at Thiero's parents reveals where he got at least some of his ability on the hardwood. Both his father and mother played competitive basketball, and in fact, his father also played for Calipari at the University of Memphis back in the mid-2000s. His mother played college basketball at Oklahoma City University and was even taken by the WNBA's Washington Mystics in the third round of the 2006 draft, even though she never played in a regular season or postseason game with them. Advertisement Both of Thiero's parents are originally from the African nation of Mali. After he was born in Salt Lake City, he spent some time in Mali, starting when he was two months old, before returning to the States at the age of three. He went to Quaker Valley High School in Leetsdale, Pa., which is just minutes outside of Pittsburgh. He gets to the free throw line Thiero attacks the basket relentlessly, but not all players who do so also get to the free throw line frequently. He averaged 15.1 points and 6.5 free throw attempts a game this past season, and his free throw attempt rate of 69.2% is rather high. He does have some work to do at making foul shots — he shot only 68.6% from the charity stripe during the 2024-25 season, although he was at 80% the previous season. Advertisement During the regular season, the Lakers were fourth in free throw attempts per game. He should feel at home with them in that regard. He has defensive potential One thing L.A. needs is perimeter defenders, and Thiero, at the very least, has the potential to become a good one. His speed, quickness and overall athleticism give him the potential to effectively guard players at multiple positions. He averaged 1.6 steals and 0.7 blocks this past season for the Razorbacks. Scouts are concerned about his lack of defensive discipline and about his focus on that end of the floor. But the potential for him to be a serious disruptor in that category is definitely there. He's an underrated rebounder One weakness the Lakers have that doesn't get talked about enough is defensive rebounding, and it got exposed in the first round of the playoffs against the Minnesota Timberwolves. Even before Anthony Davis was sent away in the trade that brought them Luka Doncic, they had trouble limiting opponents to one shot. Advertisement Some of that trouble had to do with their inability to secure rebounds outside of the paint, which falls on their guards and wings. Thiero is a pretty good rebounder on both ends of the floor for a small forward, and he registered 5.8 boards a game during the 2024-25 season. This article originally appeared on LeBron Wire: Five things to know about Adou Thiero
