Bulls rookie Noa Essengue is out for the remainder of the season due to shoulder surgery.

Bulls rookie Noa Essengue will undergo season-ending surgery on his left shoulder.

On Saturday, the Bulls made official what coach Billy Donovan had said a few days earlier: Surgery was needed and the usual recovery time is six to seven months. Essengue injured his shoulder in a G-League game, and while the team initially said it was a contusion, it turned out to be something more.

Announcement

Essengue was the No. 12 pick in last June’s draft, and at Summer League he showed off his smooth athleticism and potential, but he was also raw (as expected). It was remembered mostly for being on the wrong end of a meme during his first trip to Las Vegas. The Bulls wanted to address this injury now so that Essengue will have next summer to work on his game (whether he will play in the Summer League remains to be seen).

This season, Esngue has played just six total minutes for the Bulls. In four G-League games, Essengue averaged 23 points per game on 50.8 percent from the field, while also grabbing 8.5 rebounds per game.