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u/Unlucky_Sun_9813

The Bulls offered Chicago resident & native Austin Brown a GM position in 2020, and plan to speak with him again for the new opening
🔥 Hot ▲ 61 r/chicagobulls

The Bulls offered Chicago resident & native Austin Brown a GM position in 2020, and plan to speak with him again for the new opening

"The Bulls are also expected to speak with the co-head of CAA's basketball division, Austin Brown, regarding the vacancy, sources told ESPN."

"Brown, an honoree on the 2015 Forbes 30 Under 30 list and a member of Sports Business Journal's Forty Under 40 list in 2020 as a well-respected agent, has been offered multiple front office roles in recent years. He was offered the GM position by the Bulls under Karnisovas during their 2020 process, sources said.

Brown, a Chicago native, currently represents notable NBA players such as Donovan Mitchell, Jaren Jackson Jr., Cooper Flagg, Trae Young and OG Anunoby, among others."

Austin Brown currently still resides in Chicago, IL.

sources:

via forbes https://www.forbes.com/profile/austin-brown/

via Shams Charania https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/48541368/sources-bulls-get-ok-interview-front-office-vacancies

u/Unlucky_Sun_9813 — 1 day ago
🔥 Hot ▲ 58 r/chicagobulls

Noa Essengue... Jalen Johnson?

Before you downvote me... hear me out.

- Both born on December 18th

- Both 6'8"

- Both have had season ending shoulder injuries early in their career

Averages in season before being drafted to the NBA

Jalen Johnson at Duke (age 18/19)

11.2 PPG | 6.1 RPG | 2.2 APG | 1.2 BPG | 1.2 SPG

52.3 FG% | 44.4 3P% (0.6/1.4) | 63.2 FT%

Noa Essengue at Ulm (age 17/18)

12.4 PPG | 5.3 RPG | 1.1 APG | 1.4 SPG | 0.6 BPG

56 FG% | 29.4 3P% (0.6/1.9) | 73 FT%

Rookie Seasons

Jalen Johnson

- Drafted #20 by the Hawks in 2021

- Featured in only 22 games (0 starts) despite being healthy for most of the season, splitting most of his time w/ G League affiliate College Park Skyhawks

- Averaged 2 minutes per game in November 2021

Noa Essengue

- Drafted #12 by the Bulls in 2025

- Featured in only 2 games (0 starts) before being ruled out for the season in December, splitting most of his time with G League affiliate Windy City Bulls

- Averaged 3 minutes per game in November 2025

G League Stats in rookie season

Jalen Johnson (age 19/20)

22.5 PPG | 11.3 RPG | 4.4 APG | 1.1 SPG | 1.6 BPG

49.3 FG% | 32.4 3P% | 57.1 FT%

Noa Essengue (age 18/19)

23 PPG | 8.3 RPG | 2.8 APG | 1.3 SPG | 1 BPG

50.8 FG% | 23.8 3P% | 84.2 FT%

Now I'm not saying Noa will definitely develop and turn out to be just like Jalen Johnson. But I do think it's important to highlight the striking similarities to the start of their careers.

Keep in mind that it took Jalen until year 3 before he could break out and show promise in the NBA. Noa is younger than Jalen was back then. We need to give him the time the Hawks gave Jalen, and see where things can possibly go.

Not every 1st round prospect is going to come out of the gates swinging in the NBA!

u/Unlucky_Sun_9813 — 5 days ago
🔥 Hot ▲ 202 r/chicagobulls

Stop calling Noa Essengue a bust after 2 games and 6 minutes

I feel that Noa Essengue unfairly takes a lot of slander from Bulls fans because of resentment towards AKME. And I get it. Instead of trading his draft spot for two firsts, we drafted him and haven't seen much, but here are the facts:

- He only featured in 2 games last season, playing 6 minutes. That's not enough time to make a firm decision on him

- He will be 19 years old at the start of next season

- He is truly a first round pick talent, who averaged 19 PPG | 8 RPG | 2 APG | 2 SPG | 1 BPG on 56% overseas for ULM per 36 minutes in 2024-25.

- He averaged 23 ppg | 9 RPG | 2 APG | 1 SPG | 1 BPG on 51% FG / 84% FT in the G League at only 18 years old

- In his first ever NBA debut, he dropped 20 points, 8 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals on 43/50/83 shooting against the trailblazers at only 17 years old (2024-25 preseason)

"He got dunked on bro! That makes him a bust!"

How old are we? 12? Every wing/big defender gets dunked on. It wasn't a flattering picture but this is the most immature reason to write a player off

"Arturas drafted him, that makes him a bust bro."

I guess Buzelis & Dosunmu were also busts.

"Bro, Billy only played him 3 MPG bro. He would've played more if he wasn't a bust bro."

Buzelis only averaged 6 MPG in October of his rookie season. If he had a season ending injury, would we have ruled him a bust too? That's just dumb logic. Billy resenting playing rookies doesn't mean they're bad. Billy would've benched Kon Knueppel if he was coaching in Charlotte.

And if we're going off Billy's depth chart for who's good and bad, does that mean Patrick Williams is good? He got 21 mpg out of Billy. Dalen Terry, 11 MPG? Julian Phillips, 10 MPG?

"Bro, he had a season ending injury in his rookie season bro. That makes him a trash bust bro."

I guess Chet Holmgren is also a bust.

"We could've had Derik Queen bro. Derik Queen!"

Ah yes. Because what this team needed was an undersized, one dimensional big with terrible defense. A big who was so bad his team lost 56 games with no FRP and had to bench him AND ask their 6'7" wing to play center instead.

I'm not saying Essengue will be a superstar in the NBA. I'm saying it's way too early to rule him out as a bust. He is a member of this young core and he needs the grace to develop and prove himself. Whether that means he becomes a future star, 2-way roleplayer, or rotational player. It's corny that some fans have decided to pile on him before he even gets a chance.

reddit.com
u/Unlucky_Sun_9813 — 5 days ago