On Tuesday night, the Chicago Bulls took down the Sacramento Kings in their third game of Summer League action, winning by a score of 107-99 and improving their record to 3-1 for the summer. They got red-hot from three-point range (16-for-30) and dominated the Kings in the fourth quarter, too (30-20 in the final frame).
But before we get into the three standouts from the game, something needs to be addressed – Javon Freeman-Liberty has graduated from this list. He’s too good, and since he would obviously be in this group, he’s getting bumped out. Freeman-Liberty is far and away the best player on Chicago’s Summer League squad and played an incredible game against the Kings, but you won’t see his name here. He’s too good.
With that said, let’s take a look at the top performers from the Bulls’ Summer League win over the Kings. (Honorable mention goes to Henri Drell who looks like he could make a real impact with his shooting.)
Bulls Summer League: 3 top performers from win over Kings: Julian Phillips
Stats: 16 points, 4 rebounds, 6-of-8 FG, 3-of-3 3PT
After a disappointing Summer League debut, rookie Julian Phillips bounced back in a big way. Not only did he look far more comfortable on the court, but he showed off a clean three-point stroke – something he didn’t do in college at Tennessee, where he shot 23.9% from distance.
Bulls Summer League: 3 top performers from win over Kings: Adama Sanogo
Stats: 15 points, 9 rebounds, 2 steals, 2 blocks, 7-of-10 FG
What a game for the Bulls’ rookie class. Adama Sanogo looked great against the Kings, making an impact on both sides of the ball. He was able to overshadow his size disadvantage with solid positioning and constant activity under the hoop.
Bulls Summer League: 3 top performers from win over Kings: Nate Darling
Stats: 16 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists, 4-of-10 FG, 4-of-6 3PT
Obviously, the Bulls would have liked to see Nate Darling shoot better from two-point range, but that’s not why he’s on the floor. Darling might be the closest thing to a Max Strus clone there is, and for a Chicago team that desperately needs three-point shooting, he might be a guy to keep an eye on for a two-way deal.
