Bulls rookie Julian Phillips eager to start NBA career in Summer League play
CHICAGO (CBS) – Fans will have to wait a while to evaluate the upgrades the Chicago Bulls made this offseason after Arturas Karnisovas added veterans Torrey Craig and Jevon Carter to the roster.
But the Bulls fans looking to scratch their basketball itch will just have to wait until this weekend with NBA Summer League play in Las Vegas to begin on Friday.
That includes the professional debut of Julian Phillips, the 6-foot-8 forward out of Tennessee, who was the lone Bulls pick in this year's draft.
Phillips was taken in the second round and he wasn't mincing words talking about what he hopes to get out of the Summer League experience.
"Win every game," he said. "Win as many games as we can. The guys here, we work really hard every day. Coaches put us in the right position, the right plays to make and we believe in each other.
Phillips acknowledged this is a "new stage" for him and hopes that Summer League will serve as good preparation for him before the regular season.
"I'm excited for it," he said.
Phillips will see how well his game translates to professional competition. He said he learned how to be a good defender in college at Tennessee.
Bulls Summer League coach John Bryant praised Phillips saying, "May he is gifted defensively, and not only that but in the pick and roll. So I'm excited to see what he does because he has great length and athleticism and lateral quickness. He has to understand how he can use that and how it can help the group."