Bulls pick Dalen Terry of University of Arizona in NBA Draft; former Rolling Meadows guard Max Christie picked by Lakers
NEW YORK (CBS/AP) -- The Bulls picked Dalen Terry of the University of Arizona in the NBA Draft Thursday night.
The Bulls selected Terry in the 18th pick in the first round, adding size and versatility in the backcourt as they try to take another step after reaching the playoffs for the first time in five years.
Welcome to Chicago, @DalenTerry! pic.twitter.com/IJHQpZSiZu
— Chicago Bulls (@chicagobulls) June 24, 2022
The 6-foot-7, 195-pound Terry averaged 8 points, 4.8 rebounds, 3.9 assists, and 1.2 steals as a sophomore in coach Tommy Lloyd's first season. Owning a 7-foot wingspan, he can guard multiple spots. And on offense, he can play on or off the ball.
"More energy, all that, so it's just like, man, I watch a lot of tall guards, a lot of big guards, a lot of defenders, a lot of guys that do a lot of things that don't show up on the stat sheet – because I believe that's who I am. I really wanted to be there," Terry said. "I called my agent immediately – I was like, nah. That's where I need to be."
"I think he first the kind of makeup that we want to bring in. He's a tough kid. He's competitive. He brings a winning spirit to the room," said Bulls General Manager Marc Eversley. "He's an energy. He's a ball of energy – and I think we need that in this building every single day."
The Bulls did not own a second-round pick.
The Bulls went 46-36 and made the playoffs for the first time since 2017 with All-Stars DeMar DeRozan and Zach LaVine leading the way. They got off to a big start and finished with its best record since the 2014-15 team went 50-32 in former coach Tom Thibodeau's final season, though the way things unfolded down the stretch left a bitter taste.
The Bulls went from leading the Eastern Conference to finishing in sixth place. They lost 15 of their final 22 regular-season games, then got knocked out by Milwaukee 4-1 in their first playoff appearance since 2017.
Executive vice president of basketball operations Artūras Karnišovas has been aggressive in rebuilding the team since he was hired out of Denver's front office two years ago, acquiring DeRozan, Nikola Vucevic, Lonzo Ball and Alex Caruso. He also drafted Ayo Dosunmu and brought in coach Billy Donovan.
But the Bulls were hit hard by injuries last season and struggled against the NBA's best. The Bulls were a combined 2-21 against the top four teams in each conference.
They also have a major issue hanging over them, with LaVine planning to test the market as an unrestricted free agent.
The high-flying guard is in line for a huge payday after making his second straight All-Star team. But he was also in and out of the lineup because of injuries, including an issue with his left knee that led to arthroscopic surgery a month ago.
The Bulls can offer a five-year deal worth about $212 million. The most he can get from another team is approximately $157 million over four years.
LaVine was far from the only Bulls player to miss time last season.
Ball sat out the final 3 1/2 months following surgery for a torn meniscus. Forward Patrick Williams, the No. 4 pick in 2020, missed most of the season because of torn ligaments in his left wrist. And Caruso was sidelined seven weeks because of a broken wrist following a hard foul by the Bucks' Grayson Allen during a game at Milwaukee in January.
The injuries made it tough to develop the continuity the Bulls needed in order to compete with the NBA's best, a point Karnišovas and players drove home after the season ended.
Meanwhile, several local players were hoping to hear their names called Thursday night too. Rolling Meadows shooting guard Max Christie, who spent one year at Michigan State before entering the draft, was chosen by the Lakers in the second round.
"I think it's just betting on myself and being confident in myself and the preparation I've put into this game. I think that's just all it really is," Christie said.
Illinois big man Kofi Cockburn is ready to start his pro-career after an All-American season, dominating as the only 20-10 player in the country last season.
"A lot of people doubt my ability to adapt to the NBA. I'm just as sure that you can put me in whatever situation – I definitely contribute," he said.
And then there's Loyola's Lucas Williamson, whose calling card was defense in his time as a Rambler.
"I can't control anything that happens in the draft, so I'm not going to go into it with any expectations," Williamson said. "I just hope that I end up somewhere with somebody that's willing to work with me, and willing to give me an opportunity."
Neither Cockburn nor Williamson had been picked as of 10:50 p.m. If either goes totally undrafted, they could pick their own situations as undrafted free agents.
Also Thursday night, the San Antonio Spurs took Notre Dame guard Blake Wesley with the 25th pick in the first round.