Tag: Adama Sanogo

Bulls Summer League Notebook: A new Chicago Darling, Terry’s struggles

In their first Summer League game, the Chicago Bulls took down the Toronto Raptors, so let’s take a look at some notes.

The Chicago Bulls competed in their first game of Summer League action on Friday night. They took down the Toronto Raptors in an ugly slugfest that ended in a very low score of 83-74. Obviously, a solid takeaway from that score could be the great defense being played, but in reality, it was just a healthy reminder that Summer League is Summer League for a reason.

Chicago rolled out a 10-man lineup, with Will Yoakum and Tyree Appleby being the only two players who didn’t see the court. As a team, the Bulls shot just 39.0% from the field and 34.5% from deep. Definitely not ideal.

With that said, we’ll be starting a notebook, recapping some of the top points from each Summer League game. Let’s take a look at Game 1.

Bulls praised for Adama Sanogo signing: ‘Extremely unique player’

The Chicago Bulls may have found a solid future piece in UConn center Adama Sanogo.

Heading into the 2023 NBA draft, the Chicago Bulls were set to be one of the quietest teams around the league. Their first-rounder belonged to the Orlando Magic. They traded one of their seconds in a separate deal, and they had their other second-rounder stripped by the NBA after it was determined they broke tampering rules when signing Lonzo Ball.

However, Chicago was active. It traded into the second round, selecting Tennessee forward Julian Phillips, a 19-year-old defensively sound prospect. After the event, it signed UConn center Adama Sanogo to a two-way contract. The big man won a national championship in his junior (and final) season with the Huskies this past year.

Sanogo will join a center rotation of Nikola Vucevic and Andre Drummond. While the fit isn’t perfect, Elias Schuster of Bleacher Nation thinks Sanogo is a great player for Chicago to take a chance on.

“There are undoubtedly concerns about his ability to help protect the rim,” Schuster wrote. “He does have the benefit of being an extremely strong presence, but that isn’t going to help him necessarily overcome his height deficiencies or lack of raw explosiveness. Still, I think this is a pretty great flyer for the Bulls to take. He’s an extremely unique player who might just have what it takes to carve out a legitimately helpful rotational role down the road.”

At 6 feet, 9 inches, Sanogo is a bit undersized, but his strong frame helps him in the post. If Chicago develops him well, he could end up being a great pick-up.

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Chicago Bulls sign UConn center Adama Sanogo to two-way contract

The Chicago Bulls have signed UConn center Adama Sanogo to a two-way contract for the 2023-24 NBA season.

The Chicago Bulls walked into the 2023 NBA Draft with zero picks. They traded their first in the Nikola Vucevic deal, one second in another trade, and had their other second stripped after the NBA concluded they tampered when signing Lonzo Ball.

However, while they began the night with zero selections, they came away with a couple of intriguing young talents. One of which, Julian Phillips of Tennessee, they traded into the draft to pick, and the other, they decided to sign after the event concluded. Chicago made noise in the undrafted free-agent market after the draft, nabbing a potential backup center.

According to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, the Bulls have signed UConn center Adama Sanogo to a two-way contract for the 2023-24 NBA season.

“Undrafted UConn center Adama Sanogo has agreed on a two-way contract with the Chicago Bulls, sources tell ESPN,” Wojnarowski tweeted.

Sanogo won the NCAA National Championship with the Huskies in 2023, bringing a winning culture to the Bulls locker room.

He spent three seasons with UConn, improving every year. The 6-foot-9 big man put up 17.2 points, 7.7 rebounds, and 1.3 assists per game his junior year, shooting 60.6 percent from the field and 36.5 percent from behind the three-point line (on only 52 total three-point attempts all season).

Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer compared Sanogo to Serge Ibaka and Kevon Looney in his pre-draft scouting reports, listing his best attributes as interior scoring, positional versatility, and hustle.

The 21-year-old will join a center rotation of Vucevic and Andre Drummond in Chicago, giving them a nice young player to mentor.

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2023 Lakers draft prospect profile: Adama Sanogo

A look at Adama Sanogo, a big man from the University of Connecticut.

Much of the focus on the Los Angeles Lakers’ potential moves this summer has been on the guard and wing spots. Rumors abound that they may go after Kyrie Irving again, and, more recently, there has been noise about Chris Paul possibly joining them on a discount contract.

But they could also use some improved frontcourt depth, especially after they were swept by Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets in the Western Conference finals. It looks like the road to the NBA Finals in the West will go through Denver and its MVP center for a while.

The Lakers could add a useful frontcourt player in the 2023 NBA draft using their No. 17 and No. 47 picks. One frontcourt player they recently worked out is Adama Sanogo out of the University of Connecticut.

2023 NBA Mock Draft 5.0: 58 projections after the early entry withdrawal deadline

Rookie Wire took a look at where the next draft class stands following the early entry withdrawal deadline.

The NBA pre-draft process crossed another important checkpoint on the schedule with the early entry withdrawal deadline coming and going this week.

Prospects had the opportunity to test the waters and meet with teams to gain feedback on their potential draft stock. To maintain their remaining college eligibility, they had to withdraw from consideration by 11:59 p.m. EDT on Wednesday.

The deadline saw several potential second-round picks withdraw from the draft and return to school. With name, image and likeness playing a prevalent role in college basketball, players were likely swayed to stay one more year to work on their games and capitalize financially.

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The 2024 draft is also projected to be weaker than in past years, which also may have played a role in some players opting against turning pro. They likely believe they will have a greater chance of being a first-round pick next year.

With several players off the board, teams can prioritize workouts and interviews with those individuals remaining in the draft. As a result, players’ stock will continue to fluctuate with less than three weeks to go until the draft.

Rookie Wire took a look at where the draft stands following the early entry withdrawal deadline. Team needs were taken into consideration for these picks.

Adama Sanogo worked out with the Thunder in pre-draft visit

Connecticut forward Adama Sanogo has worked out for the Thunder in pre-draft visit, per @BasketballGuruD

The 2023 NBA draft lottery is officially over, as it confirmed the Oklahoma City Thunder will pick No. 12 in the first round of the draft.

It’s also draft combine week, which means all of the top prospects are gathered in Chicago, Ill. This means that most players will likely be asked who they’ve worked out and met with so far.

The Thunder have met and worked out Connecticut forward Adama Sanogo, per BSO’s Daniel Bell.

The 21-year-old averaged 17.2 points on 60.6% shooting, 7.7 rebounds and 1.3 assists in 39 games last season. He also shot 36.5% from 3 on 1.3 attempts. He spent three college seasons at UConn from 2020 to 2023, where he played a vital role in their 2023 national championship.

Sanogo is currently projected by most mock drafts to go in the second round, which means the Thunder will likely get a chance to select him at No. 37 or No. 50 if he falls that far.

The 2023 NBA draft is scheduled to happen on Thursday, June 22. A full list of prospects who’ve met with the Thunder can be read here.

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NBA draft combine 2023: A complete tracker of player invitations

Rookie Wire took a look at those prospects that have earned invitations to compete in the NBA draft combine and G League Elite Camp.

The NBA pre-draft process is in full swing as prospects work toward achieving the ultimate goal of hearing their names called by Commissioner Adam Silver on June 22.

Reports are beginning to surface of prospects receiving invitations to compete in the draft combine on May 15-21 in Chicago, Illinois. Each year, teams submit a list of players they would like to see invited, typically those with the highest odds of getting drafted.

The event features 5-on-5 games, strength and agility testing, shooting drills, measurements and other related on-court exercises. Prospects have the opportunity to improve their draft stock in a competitive environment against their peers.

Last year, 76 players were announced as participants in the event.

The G League Elite Camp will take place in Chicago on May 13-14 with players competing in front of NBA and G League scouts, coaches and front-office executives. The top performers will also be invited to perform in the draft combine.

The official list of participants for both events has yet to be unveiled.

Those underclassmen that filed as early entry candidates will also have the chance to interview with teams and gain feedback on their draft positioning. The information will be helpful in forming their decisions on staying in the draft or returning to school before the May 31 deadline.

Rookie Wire took a look at those prospects that have reportedly earned invitations to compete in the combine and G League Elite Camp. The list will be updated as more names emerge.

Last Update: May 14, 11:15 p.m. EDT

UConn forward Adama Sanogo declares for NBA Draft

UConn is set to lose a valuable piece of their program to the NBA.

UConn forward Adama Sanogo has declared for the NBA Draft according to Jeff Goodman of Stadium. 

According to Goodman, Sanogo has signed with Octagon and while he hasn’t ruled out a return to UConn for next season, the expectation is to move onto the NBA.

The 6-foot-9, 240-pound forward averaged 17.2 points, 7.7 rebounds, and 1.3 assists this past season for the Huskies while shooting 60.6% from the floor and 36.5% from beyond the arc. He was also an All-Big East selection during the regular season.

During this year’s NCAA Tournament, Sanogo became a household name, helping the Huskies dominate their competition en route to their fifth national championship.

Over the course of the Huskies’ six tournament games, Sanogo averaged 19.7 points, 9.8 rebounds, and 1.2 assists a game. He scored 20+ points in three of six games and recorded double-doubles in four of six. Against San Diego State in the national championship game, he was 5-for-9 from the floor, totalign 17 points and 10 rebounds.

Despite his strong season and NCAA Tournament run, Sanogo has not yet seen himself propelled up NBA Draft boards. ESPN’s current 2023 NBA best available rankings has Sanogo as the 87th best player available in this year’s NBA Draft.

The 2023 NBA Draft is set for June 22 at 8:00 p.m. ET. Any early entry prospects in the draft will have until May 31 to withdrawal their name from the draft in order to retain NCAA eligibility.

2022 NBA Draft Big Board 1.0: Debut rankings of the top 101 prospects

Let’s be honest. Ranking the best NBA draft prospects is a fool’s errand. But evaluating this class is an especially challenging assignment.

Let’s be honest. Ranking the best NBA draft prospects is a fool’s errand. But evaluating this class is an especially challenging assignment.

One of the top pre-season prospects (Patrick Baldwin Jr.) is playing for a mid-major program that has just two wins so far this season. Other top prospects (AJ Griffin and Peyton Watson) are not getting much playing time for their high-major programs. Meanwhile, guard Jean Montero is playing in the inaugural Overtime Elite league. How do we compare his productivity to other prospects? I’m frankly not sure.

But nevertheless, my big board exists. Rather than going small, I decided to blow it up and do the opposite. Why did I go ahead and rank 101 prospects if this class has been so challenging to evaluate? There are two distinct reasons.

One is that I’m absolutely crazy and get a very fulfilling satisfaction with the completion of a mock draft and big board because it feels complete. It looks awesome seeing as many names as I can fit on one article, even if the science behind the rankings is a bit inconclusive.

The other reason is that as I make more big boards throughout the year, it’s interesting to track the progress (and regression) of certain prospects. I am inevitably wrong about most of these placements! But this article serves as a barometer for where I feel certain players are at in their development right now.

Note that several notable prospects (e.g. freshmen Max Christie, Matthew Cleveland, Nolan Hickman, Hunter Sallis, Brandon Huntley-Hatfield, Jeremy Sochan, Kobe Bufkin) were excluded because I expect them to go back to school to improve their draft stock.

More likely than not, some of those players will declare for the 2022 NBA draft. When that happens, I obviously will not have them outside of my top 101.

Until then, as we prepare to turn the calendar into a new year, here are the debut rankings for 101 of my favorite prospects.

All stats are accurate as of Dec. 14 and are from Sports-Reference unless noted otherwise.

Aggregate NBA mock draft 2.0: Paolo Banchero, Chet Holmgren, Jabari Smith battle for No. 1

In order to help us get a better sense of where all of the projected top prospects in the class stand as of right now, we compiled mock drafts from ESPN, NBADraft.net, CBS Sports, The Athletic, Bleacher Report, Sports Illustrated, Yahoo, Basketball News and USA TODAY Sports Media Group’s For The Win.

Please note that these rankings reflect the composite score to get a feel for consensus, not our own opinion.

Since our last update, the players who have improved the most spots are Ismael Kamagate (Paris), Moussa Diabate (Michigan), Azuolas Tubelis (Arizona), Hugo Besson (New Zealand), Efe Abogidi (Washington State),  Iverson Molinar (Mississippi State), Justin Lewis (Marquette), Max Christie (Michigan State), EJ Liddell (Ohio State), and Ochai Agbaji (Kansas).

The most notable prospects making their debut on our rankings are Trevor Keels (Duke), Bryce McGowens (Nebraska), MarJon Beauchamp (G League Ignite), Keon Ellis (Alabama), Christian Koloko (Arizona), Wendell Moore (Duke), Blake Wesley (Notre Dame),  Josh Minott (Memphis), Zach Edey (Purdue), and Johnny Davis (Wisconsin).

Some of the top prospects who did not make the cut this time included Hunter Sallis (Gonzaga), Brandon Huntley-Hatfield (Tennesse), Kobe Bufkin (Michigan), Mouhamed Gueye (Washington State), Jahvon Quinerly (Albama), Adam Flagler (Baylor), Jaylin Williams (Auburn), Matthieu Gauzin (Le Mans), Isaiah Wong (Miami), Marcus Williams (Texas A&M), and Tyson Etienne (Wichita State).

Otherwise, you can learn the latest updates on every single prospect who has been included in recent mock drafts by scrolling below.

HoopsHype’s Alberto de Roa contributed research to this report