DeMar DeRozan’s Handles, The Udoka Fallout, NBA’s Top-5 Players, and Other Bulls Bullets

I just wanted to send out some good Friday feels …

  • Speaking of kings, DeMar DeRozan gave us a look at why he should be deemed the all-mighty footwork king. One of the most methodical ball-handlers in the league, I continue to stress that this skill set is the biggest reason why he’ll be a reliable secondary scorer for years to come. While he used to rely more on athleticism and a downhill burst, he’s now a player who you can’t ever speed up or slow down. He dictates the pace of play, and his ability to do just that with his master handles isn’t going away any time soon.
  • Also, as short as this video is, I think it demonstrates how much work goes into learning these moves. We’ve seen him whip out a number of the moves below at game speed, but the only way he’s able to continue doing that is by practicing them over and over and over and over and over. The work never stops – no matter how good you might be at something.
  • The Ime Udoka story feels like it’s just getting started. After the Celtics officially announced the head coach’s suspension for the 2022-23 season, The Athletic’s Shams Charania added a tiny bit more context to what the team is investigating behind the scenes. According to the report, while management was led to believe the relationship between Udoka and a female employee was initially consensual, the woman recently shared that Udoka made “unwanted comments” toward her.
  • Brad Stevens and Wyc Grousbeck sat down this morning to address the media. In that conversation, they also clarified that Udoka will face a significant financial penalty due to the suspension and that the head coach made “at least” a couple of violations.
  • I was also very glad to hear Stevens condemn those online who decided to jump to conclusions. As someone who comes from a journalistic background, few things frustrate me more than reckless speculation. Having fun with trade rumors or commentary from free agents is one thing, but trying to guess who is caught up in something like this Udoka story is so irresponsible. People were thrown under the bus and scrutinized for no reason, and it was so frustrating to see.
  • Ayo Dosunmu took a trip back to his old stomping ground.
  • I got to imagine it’s so cool for the current members of the team to see Dosunmu walk through the door. Not only did he leave a lasting legacy at that university, but he’s been a prime example of what making the most out of his college experience can do. I’m not sure he gets enough credit for choosing to stay three years in Champaign to hone his craft. While it never hurts to start developing at the next level, there can also be so much value to spending an extra year or two working on your game without that added level of pressure. I think the NBA has started to notice that more and more as an increasing number of older draft pick seem to offer instant impact.
  • Get that bag, Ayo.
  • ESPN has released their complete Top-100 rankings for the 2022-23 NBA season. ICYMI: Nikola Vucevic, Lonzo Ball, DeMar DeRozan, and Zach LaVine all made the cut, and we wrote more about where each landed here. Today we learned who they believe ranks as the league’s top 5, and I don’t think any of the names should surprise you:
  • All things considered, I think I’d actually agree with this order. The only thing that gives me some hesitation is the omission of Kevin Durant, who I still think is pretty easily a top-5 talent when at his healthiest.
  • COMING SOON: MORE ZACH LAVINE DUNKS!
  • If I met Michael Jordan I’d probably instantly melt into a puddle of sweat, so I get it.
  • https://twitter.com/_Talkin_NBA/status/1573035549857906690?s=20&t=xuGFB_TTkavWK0CsS5LFVA

  • Why Tristan Thompson is no longer on the Bulls, Exhibit A:
  • I wrote about all the upcoming training camp storylines, if you’re interested:
  • I can’t say I’m surprised.
  • Unfortunately, not great.
  • written by

    Elias Schuster is the Lead Chicago Bulls writer at Bleacher Nation. He started with BN full-time in 2019 immediately after graduating from the University of Illinois Urbana Champaign with a degree in Journalism (yes, he started with the Jim Boylen Era). Since joining, Elias has been the driving force behind Bulls and NBA content for both the site and social accounts. You can follow him on Twitter/X @Schuster_Elias.

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