Noa Essengue out after shoulder surgery

Dec 4, 2025 2:50 PM

Chicago Bulls rookie forward Noa Essengue has been ruled out for the rest of the regular season after suffering a left-shoulder injury that turned out to be far more serious than initially believed.

The young forward was hurt during a recent appearance with the Windy City Bulls in the G League. Early examinations suggested he had only sustained a shoulder contusion, but further evaluation revealed that he will require surgery, sidelining him for an estimated six to seven months.

What was already a quiet introduction to the NBA for Essengue now comes to an abrupt halt. The 6-foot-8 French forward, taken with the 12th pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, managed to get into just two NBA games and logged a total of six minutes before the injury derailed his debut year.

Head coach Billy Donovan expressed disappointment but emphasized long-term optimism, saying, “Noa’s future is still extremely bright. This is a setback, no doubt, but it’s not going to define him. We just want him to focus on healing the right way.”

Essengue showed flashes of why Chicago drafted him so high during his short stint in the G League. Through four games with Windy City, he posted impressive numbers: 23 points and 8.2 rebounds per game, along with one steal and one block on average.

General manager Arturas Karnisovas noted, “He’s only eighteen, and we’ve already seen how quickly he adapts and competes. We’re confident he’ll come back stronger and ready to take another step forward next season.”

Essengue, while disappointed, is trying to keep perspective.

“I wanted to be out there helping my team, learning the league, getting better every day,” he said. “But this is part of the game. I’ll attack the rehab, and I’ll be ready for training camp.”

If his recovery stays on schedule, Essengue is expected to return in time for the opening of next year’s training camp, giving him a fresh start to build the momentum that was cut short this season.