Chicago Bulls 2025 NBA Summer League: Full summer league roster and players to watch
Should Bulls fans trust the front office's plan? | Chicago Sports Tonight
The Bulls blew up their last core and got little to show in return. Should fans trust in a front office plan that has the Bulls teetering mediocrity?
It's almost time to get a first glimpse at the newest Chicago Bulls players.
The two Bulls draft picks – Noa Essengue and Lachlan Olbrich – will get to play their first games in a Bulls jersey, while a mix of other rookies and veterans vie for a chance to earn a spot in the Bulls' system.
Here's the full Bulls' summer league roster, and a few players to watch when the Bulls take the floor in Las Vegas.
Chicago Bulls 2025 NBA Summer League Roster
Guards:
Javon Freeman-Liberty
Caleb Grill
William Hickey
Yuki Kawamura
Wooga Poplar
Josh Primo
Jahmir Young
Forwards:
Matas Buzelis
Noa Essengue
Emanuel Miller
Micah Parrish
Maozinha Pereira
Centers:
David Muoka
Lachlan Olbrich
Head coach:
Billy Donovan III
Bulls Summer League Players to Watch
Matas Buzelis:
The Bulls said the plan is for Buzelis to compete in the Summer League, but it probably won't be for long. After the first round of the 2025 NBA Draft, Bulls general manager Marc Eversely confirmed Buzelis would play in Vegas, but he wasn't sure how long he'd play. It's fair to expect Buzelis to play for a game or two, but after that the Bulls shouldn't risk injury to one of the players the team has been very open about being a key part of their future.
Still, it will be fun to see where Buzelis is now compared to who he was when he first suited up in the Summer League.
Noa Essengue talks being drafted by the Chicago Bulls
The Bulls made Frenchman Noa Essengue the No. 12 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. He talked about the moment.
Noa Essengue:
The No. 12 overall pick should have his chances to show off in Vegas.
The athletic, 6-foot-10 wing the Bulls see as a developmental piece for their future will probably be given the keys to playmake as much as possible in the same vein Buzelis was allowed to do last Summer League.
It's the 18-year-old's chance to make a first basketball impression with the Bulls and Donovan, who will most likely get to work with Essengue with the Windy City Bulls at some point next season.
Emanuel Miller:
Miller is a player who stands to gain the most with the Bulls' staff. He played in six games for Chicago, totaling 10 points and eight rebounds in 25 minutes of game time.
A consistent performance by Miller at Summer League should help bump those NBA minutes, especially early on if the Bulls mirror their developmental process they had with Buzelis for Essengue, which included sending Buzelis to the G-League at certain points to help get his confidence up. Miller could put himself in position to use that to his advantage.
Yuki Kawamura:
Kawamura fits the Bulls' run-and-gun system, and a solid Summer League could help his cause if the Bulls continue to make offseason moves.
Spending last season with the Memphis Hustle in the NBA G-League, Kawamura shot 41% on 3-point shots and had eight games of four or more made 3-pointers during his rookie season. He was a fan favorite in Memphis, and has a massive following in Japan.
Caleb Grill:
The rookie out of Missouri was a run-and-gun player under head coach Dennis Gates. He went nuclear in the month of February last year, helping Missouri earn wins over top-five-ranked teams Alabama, Florida and Kansas.
Grill played at Iowa State and UNLV before transferring to Mizzou. He played nine games in the 2023-2024 season before bouncing back this past season where he averaged 13.7 points per game, shot .396 percent on 3-point shots and won the SEC's Sixth Man of the Year award. He had eight games of 20 points or more. Missouri went 7-1 in games where Grill scored 20 points or more.