Following four years of successful college basketball at Michigan State, Chicago Bulls’ first-round draft pick Denzel Valentine will have definitely envisaged a more progressive opening season in the NBA. The 23-year-old has featured in fits and starts at the United Center this season, with injury setbacks and poor form hampering his chances under Head Coach Fred Hoiberg. Despite such setbacks, Valentine has promised to stay positive, confident in his ability to become a star in the league.
Having recently been assigned to the D-League’s Windy City Bulls recently, Valentine has on occasion been unlucky, with frustrating ankle injuries and stomach flu ruling him out of action. However, coaching decisions have also been the reason for absences, with second-round pick Paul Zipser often the preferred of the duo at shooting guard. The rookie will now be forced to prove his worth in the D-League, with consistent performances a must if he is to break into a Bulls team harbouring hopes of the NBA Playoffs.
Perhaps his biggest frustration came when he was forced to miss an encounter with the New York Knicks and Madison Square Gardens through flu, just two days after scoring 19 points against the Washington Wizards. However, having entered the league as the 14th overall pick by the Bulls just last year, the rookie is more than willing to wait for his chance, despite having played in just 23 games, averaging 11 minutes per contest and putting up 2.7 points per game.
The Bulls are understandably rank outsiders in the sports betting odds to claim a first NBA title since 1998, with the arrival of Dwayne Wade not quite having the expected effect on the team as of yet. Wade, alongside Jimmy Butler and Rajon Rondo were reportedly fined by team management over recent weeks due to comments made surrounding Bulls performances. As a result, Wade was also made to make just a 10th substitute appearance of his NBA career, with his other 887 run-outs coming as a starter.
The Bulls face a crucial period of the season over the coming weeks, with encounters against Oklahoma City Thunder, Houston Rockets, Sacramento Kings and Golden State Warriors likely to demonstrate just how far they have progressed as a team.
