NEWSLETTER
With the 2024 NBA Draft set to begin this week, the Chicago Bulls are taking a closer look at some top prospects.
According to The Athletic’s Darnell Mayberry, the Bulls welcomed a jam-packed group for a pre-draft workout on Monday. Prospects in town included Ron Holland, Ryan Dunn, Kyle Filipowski, Terrence Shannon Jr., Adem Bona, and Justin Moore.
Bulls’ Busy Pre-Draft Workout
I want to give a big shoutout to Mayberry, as this is the first real update we’ve received on which players have stopped by the Advocate Center. And I’m elated to see that G-League Ignite forward Ron Holland was on the list!
I’ve made it clear on BN Bulls that Holland is near the top of my draft board. Many mocks have expected him to go before Chicago is set to pick at No. 11, but the 18-year-old has started to slip slightly in recent weeks. In fact, two recent mock drafts have him landing in the Bulls’ lap, which you can take a look at in our most recent roundup.
As far as pure athletes go, Chicago couldn’t do much better than Holland in their current position. The six-foot-eight forward combines explosive speed and verticality with relentless hustle. He averaged 18.5 points, 6.7 rebounds, 2.8 assists, and 2.1 steals per game for the Ignite last season. To be sure, Holland’s season ended after just 15 games due to a thumb injury, but there was still enough there against solid competition to be extremely hopeful.
As for the rest of the group, Kyle Filipowski is another name we’ve discussed before. While his draft stock isn’t as high as it once was, this actually happens to be a pretty deep class for centers. The sophomore out of Duke isn’t the most naturally gifted athlete or physical force, but he’s a talented floor-spacer who also improved his efficiency inside last season. I could see Filipowski’s feel for the game standing out to this front office. They have preferred a crafty big man in Nikola Vucevic, and there is a case to be made that Filipowski has some Vucevic in his game.
Here are my quick thoughts on the other pre-draft workout participants:
Terrence Shannon Jr. – The Illini basketball star was recently found non-guilty on his charges in Kansas, immediately putting him back in the mid-first-round conversations. He’s a big guard who can bully his way to the free-throw line and score in bunches. Also, at 23 years old, the expectation is that his adjustment to the league should be rather swift.
Ryan Dunn – Ryan Dunn’s stats aren’t going to jump off the page, but his defensive foundation will. The six-foot-six forward measured with a seven-foot-one wingspan at the draft combine. Many expect him to come in immediately and handle some tough assignments. Having said that, there remain some major questions about what he can offer offensively.
Adam Bona – I have to admit, I don’t know much about Bona. All I do know is that – while a tad undersized – he provides superb length in the frontcourt He averaged nearly 2.0 blocks per game for UCLA this past season. What I remember from watching him this past year is that he isn’t afraid to play physically and works his butt off. But, to be clear, we’re talking about a likely second-rounder here (and the Bulls don’t own a second).
Justin Moore – The Bulls are likely looking at Moore as a possible UDFA. He played five seasons for the Villanova Wildcats, consistently appearing as a role-playing starter. The intriguing skillset here is likely his 3-point shooting. He was a high-volume option in college, averaging 5.5 attempts over his career on 34.6 percent efficiency. However, I should also point out that he has a solid frame at six-foot-four and 210 pounds.
