The Chicago Bulls have two picks in the NBA lottery, but do not know exactly what number these picks are going to be. The NBA Draft Lottery takes place on Sunday, but mock drafts have been either using a simulator or going by win percentage to determine the order. One mock draft has been shaking it up with the draft simulator in order to give each team different options of who they can take. Let’s take a closer look at who Bryson Graham could wind up selecting in the first round of his first NBA draft with the Bulls.
The Chicago Bulls draft an elite guard with their first pick
In Bleacher Report’s latest lottery mock, Chicago lands the ninth and 15th picks. With the ninth overall selection, the Bulls tab Alabama Crimson Tide guard Labaron Philon Jr.
“The Bulls have one of the least convincing collections of long-term keepers among all of the rebuilders. There might not be a single self-sufficient scorer within that group. Adding Philon here would help ease that concern. Even if he’s more of an undersized scorer than a traditional point guard, that’s fine. In fact, it might make it easy for him to slot alongside Josh Giddey, a pass-first player with limited scoring punch. Philon’s ignitable shooting should help him thrive in an off-ball role, but Chicago would want to give him plenty of on-ball reps, too. He is shifty with the basketball while being a scoring threat on the move,” Bleacher Report’s Zach Buckley wrote.
Philon stepped into a larger role ahead of the NCAA Tournament this year after teammate Aiden Holloway was removed from the team. On the floor, he averaged 22.0 points, 3.5 rebounds, 5.0 assists, and 1.4 steals per game with 45.2/41.5/76.7 shooting splits. The 6-foot-4, 185-pound guard has already shown the ability to play in a high-octane offense at Alabama and possesses the frame to wear down opposing defenses while pushing the pace.
Chicago’s current guard situation includes Josh Giddey, Isaac Okoro, Tre Jones, and Rob Dillingham, making Philon a significant addition. This would not be the first time the Bulls have been mocked to select him, and it would immediately give the franchise an elite playmaking guard for the roster.
Chicago Bulls add national champion center with second lottery pick
The second selection, the 15th overall pick acquired via the Portland Trail Blazers in a 2021 trade that has now finalized, addresses the center position. The Bulls select Michigan Wolverines big man Aday Mara, a national champion.
“The Bulls are so early into their rebuild that they don’t have to force a team need into their consideration. That said, if the draft board breaks right, you’d think they’d prefer to find a long-term interior anchor. Well, this mock helped make that happen with Mara and his unique skill set still sitting on the board,” Buckley continued. “ESPN’s Jeremy Woo called Mara ‘the most gifted center in the draft, both skill-and size-wise,’ highlighting the 7’3″ center’s paint protection, play finishing and keen eye for passing.”
Mara averaged 12.1 points, 6.8 rebounds, 2.4 assists, and 2.6 blocks in 23.4 minutes per game en route to the national championship. In an era where traditional big men are less common, Mara gives Chicago a true 7-foot-3 interior presence with strong paint defense. While he will need to expand his offensive game, centers such as Rudy Gobert, DeAndre Ayton, and Victor Wembanyama continue to demonstrate the value of elite size at the position.
This mock draft presents a clear vision for the Bulls’ early rebuild: an explosive, versatile guard who can create and score alongside their existing backcourt, paired with a high-upside center who can anchor the paint for years to come. With the actual lottery still days away, Bryson Graham and the Chicago front office will be watching closely to see if the ping-pong balls fall in their favor and open the door to selections like these.