David Nwaba will miss a couple of weeks with an ankle sprain.
No one likes overtime and that likely goes double for the Chicago Bulls and second-year wing David Nwaba.
Saturday night the Bulls went to overtime against the New Orleans Pelicans and shortly into the extra session, promising second-year wing David Nwaba sprained his right ankle.
While his numbers aren’t flashy (6.9 points, 5.5 rebounds, 1.0 assists, 0.8 steals, and 0.8 blocks in 21 minutes a night), his impact on the team goes much deeper. The 24-year-old Nwaba had recently been inserted into the Bulls’ starting lineup and was playing well, bringing the team some much-needed toughness and grit.
This is bad news for a Bulls team that Betting Top 10 already projects to struggle this season
The young guard isn’t taking the injury to badly:
“It’s just important to trust the process,” Nwaba said of his play before the game. “Whatever opportunity you get, just take advantage. That’s what I did.”
Bulls coach Fred Hoiberg has a real appreciation for the way Nwaba plays the game:
“The biggest thing with David is he’s really given us toughness factor with that first group,” coach Fred Hoiberg said before the game. “His speed in the open court has been a one-man fast break on several occasions.” Hoiberg said before Nwaba finished with seven points, four rebounds, and two assists.
Perhaps the thing that stands out the most about him is that he won’t back down, from anyone. “He’s taken on the challenge of guarding the other team’s best player,” Hoiberg said. “He’s rebounded at a high rate. So he’s really given us a big spark and given us a physical presence out there on the perimeter.”
An undrafted free agent out of California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, the sturdily built 6-4 guard has had to earn every each and every opportunity he’s had at the NBA level.
His story is somewhat similar to that of Orlando’s Jonathon Simmons in thatNwaba attended a D-League tryout camp, impressed the scouts in attendance, found his way into the NBA on a 10-day contract with the Lakers last season and played well enough to earn a couple of starts late in the season.
Not bad for a guy who was a complete after-thought following his collegiate career.
With Nwaba out of the line-up for a couple of weeks, the team will move SF Paul Zipser back into the starting lineup. Zipser began the year as a starter for the Bulls, but failed to produce much, averaging only 6.0 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 2.0 assists in his four starts this season. He joins Jerian Grant, Justin Holiday, Lauri Markkanen and Robin Lopez in Chicago’s starting lineup.
The team also welcomes forward Bobby Portis back following an 8-game suspension for his role in a fight with forward Nikola Mirotic (who will miss another month or so with a broken bone in his face).
The Bulls find themselves at 2-6 and in last place in the Central Division.
