Week 1 of Chicago Bulls training camp is in the books.
The team practiced for four days straight before earning a pair of off days. Of course, it's only the beginning of what will be a long process, but all early indications are that this young team is motivated and gelling.
Matas Buzelis and Caleb Wilson have obviously demanded much of the public's attention thus far. But training camp is about far more than just two players. The Bulls have continued to see positive results across the roster, including with two players who had plenty of question marks coming into 2026-27.
Let's discuss two names that have started to flip the script at camp.
Aug 21, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Bulls forward Noa Essengue waves courtside during the first half of a game between the Chicago Sky and the Golden State Valkyries at the Wintrust Arena. Mandatory Credit: Patrick Gorski-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Tiago Splitter's praise for Noa Essengue may have been the most shocking development of the week at training camp.
As silly as that may sound, the way he talked about the second-year forward was a stark 180 from a few months back. The two initially got acquainted during NBA Summer League. Essengue's first impression undoubtedly left a lot to be desired. He struggled immensely despite it being his second taste of Summer League action.
Splitter watched as Essengue repeatedly stumbled to the floor, lost the ball, and committed fouls. His jumper looked rough, his ball-handling was non-existent, and his confidence was nowhere to be found. This even resulted in Splitter benching Essengue during the Bulls' second game.
Fast forward to training camp, and Essengue has seemingly started to win over his new head coach. Splitter told the media that the 19-year-old has been far more aggressive and specifically called out his rebounding and rim protection.
"I think he's fighting for a spot, right? He wants to play for us, which is great," Splitter said. "I like his ambition. He's getting stronger. He's shooting the ball better ... I think the effort in the last two days is really what matters now. This Summer we had a lot of open gyms. It's a different vibe, it's a little more relaxed. But now he's really following what we ask him."
Whether this comes with an immediate rotational role for Essengue remains to be seen. However, the only way this will happen early on this season is to impress the new head coach. Essengue is doing that thus far.
The Frenchman also spoke with reporters later in the week, and he acknowledged that things have trended in the right direction since Summer League. He has spent a lot more time in the weight room and also appears quite focused on what he can do defensively. To be sure, the Bulls as a whole have made this side of the ball a priority, but this could bode very well for Essengue moving forward.
Indeed, while Essengue may be raw on the offensive end, he has the kind of athletic traits to make a more immediate impact defensively. The forward is incredibly long and surprisingly agile for his size. Plus, he now apparently stands six-foot-eleven, which potentially opens the door for him to play some minutes at the five.
When the Bulls' front office turned over this summer, it truly felt like Essengue could become an odd man out. This is particularly true when we consider the growth of Matas Buzelis and the addition of Caleb Wilson. However, Essengue may be starting to change that narrative. It's easy to forget that he is still the youngest player on this roster and remains a real blank canvas.
Sep 28, 2026; Chiacgo, Il, USA; Chicago Bulls forward Dailyn Swain (5) poses during media day. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Speaking of bad Summer League showings!
It's no understatement to say that Dailyn Swain had one of the worst Summer League performances of any 2026 NBA Draft pick. He missed nearly everything around the rim and looked like a shell of his college self offensively.
At the same time, Swain deserved to be given some slack for multiple reasons. Every player adjusts to the NBA in different ways. And, unlike with Essengue, this was Swain's first time seeing what it's like to match up with true NBA-level competition.
There is also no ignoring the fact that the Bulls asked Swain to play a somewhat unconventional role. More of an ISO scorer during his 2025-26 season at Texas, Swain was suddenly operating as a lead guard and distributor. Even if the Bulls eventually ended up taking that responsibility off Swain's plate, it played a role in him overthinking things for much of Summer League.
Regardless, the performance was enough to make many wonder if Swain would be less of a factor in 2026 than initially expected. Would he be destined for an extended stint in the G League? Could he really outpeform other roster member for a spot int he rotation?
These are still valid questions with weeks to go before the regular season, but Swain is still calming some nerves at training camp. Tiago Splitter was asked how the current version of Swain compares to what he saw months ago, and he didn't hesitate with his answer:
"Night and day. It's not even close," Tiago Splitter said. "He was not himself in that Summer League. I think we all understand that. He has been great ... He is producing for us. Getting to the paint, finishing. He had a lack of confidence in Summer League but right now it's a different player. He is going and being aggressive, being himself, being the player he was in college."
If Swain can keep this up, there is certainly a world where he is playing a meaningful role for the Bulls off the bench right away. This team isn't necessarily packed with go-to scoring options off the dribble.
Similar to Essengue, there is also something to be said about what he can provide defensively. Before he was one of college basketball's best scorers at Texas, Swain was still on the NBA radar because of his defensive versatility. He has a strong and sturdy six-foot-seven frame that allows him to switch onto both guards and larger wings.
As far as Swain is concerned, this is how he believes Splitter will be convinced to give him some early run:
"I want to impact the game on defense. Guarding the best player. That's something they're challenging me with out here. Guarding guys like Norm and Caleb," Swain said. "Showing my versatility on defense and then the offensive side will come. Obviously, it comes with comfortability, getting to know this level, getting to know the sets and how we run things."
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/nba/bulls/onsi as 2 Bulls Player Already Flipping the Script at Training Camp .
