Bulls' Noa Essengue was back on the bench but out of the doghouse

Chicago Bulls forward Noa Essengue was sidelined on Saturday against the Washington Wizards due to light sensitivity following a head blow against the Milwaukee Bucks. Despite the missed game, head coach Tiago Splitter praised the 19-year-old for responding positively to tough coaching after being benched during Summer League for low effort and emotional reactions. Splitter noted that Essengue has earned his way back into the rotation mix through hard work.

Essengue saw an increase in playing time against Milwaukee, logging 17 productive minutes as a defensive disrupter. Meanwhile, forward Patrick Williams remained out of the rotation before being sidelined Saturday with a sore groin, while rookie Caleb Wilson addressed the starting unit's ongoing chemistry struggles under Splitter's new system.