The 2023 NBA Draft was set to be a boring event for the Chicago Bulls, as they did not have a pick heading into the night. However, they ended up trading into the second round in a deal with the Washington Wizards, landing the 35th pick.
With the selection, the Bulls picked up Tennessee forward Julian Phillips. The 19-year-old has shown a ton of potential on the defensive side of the ball and will be a great prospect for Chicago to develop moving forward. And according to the rookie, he has some previous connections to the Bulls via his father, who was a Chicago fan.
In an interview with Lou Bezjak of The State, Phillips spoke about his history with the Bulls, noting that his father was a big fan of the Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen-led teams growing up.
“It is very special,” Phillips said of getting to play for the Bulls. “Actually, my father is from Chicago and grew up a Bulls fan so it is special to go play for a team like that with so much history, Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen and so on. I am very excited and very thankful.”
As Chicago prepares for the season ahead, they will need to add a mix of win-now talent and youth to the roster in an attempt to prepare for two timelines – a competitive immediate future and a potential long-term rebuild.
Phillips could fit both with his defensive skills and with the history he has with the team, he’s looking like a good fit already.
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Story originally appeared on Lonzo Wire