Adama Sanogo will have a shot on the Chicago Bulls

Photo: Twitter - @UConnMBB

After leaving UConn to go pro, Adama Sanogo went undrafted but ended up joining the Chicago Bulls and quickly signing a deal. Two games into NBA Summer League, the Bulls locked him up with a two-way contract on July 10.

“I worked out with them before [the draft],” Sanogo shared in an interview over the summer. After the draft, “they were one of the first teams that called…I knew it would be a good spot for me.”

With preseason underway, the rookie is looking forward to having a chance with this organization. On the two-way contract, he’ll have the opportunity to play on the Bulls and their G League affiliate, the Windy City Bulls, who play about 25 miles outside of Chicago.

In his summer league debut, the 6-foot-9 Sanogo recorded 5 points, 4 rebounds, and 3 steals in 18 minutes played. He followed that up with an impressive 8 points and 12 rebounds in just 18 minutes, finishing as the leading rebounder of the game.

Comparing the game from college to the NBA, Sanogo had two words – “not easy.”

“It’s not easy, I’m not gonna lie,” Sanogo said. “It’s very different from college. You have to be professional. You have to be on time. You have to follow the rules. I’m definitely looking forward to it and trying to do everything I can to stay at it.”

For Sanogo, signing that contract was a dream come true, and a culmination of years of hard work.

“It meant a lot,” Sanogo said. “Being able to play professionally since I was a kid, this is a dream for me. To come to the United States, get a professional contract, get a two-way, it really makes me happy.”

In his third Summer League game, Sanogo put up 15 points, 9 rebounds, 2 blocks, and 2 steals in 22 minutes. His shooting improved from 3-of-5 from the field in his second outing to 7-of-10 against the Sacramento Kings.

To round out his summer, Sanogo finished with 15 points, 9 rebounds, 1 steal, and 1 block in his total of 18 minutes played against the Wizards, shooting 7-of-7 from the field.

He finished the five-game circuit averaging 10.2 points, 8.4 rebounds, 1.4 steals, and 1.0 blocks per game on 66 percent shooting. NBA reporters appear to be optimistic about Adama’s pro prospects in the Windy City: “Despite being undersized, he battled well on the glass and finished at an extremely encouraging 65.7% clip,” noted Bleacher Nation’s Elias Schuster.

“While Sanogo may not be the most gifted athlete on the floor, he carries an extremely strong frame and has the kind of soft touch around the rim that can make him an extremely intriguing post player,” he added.

Sanogo also shared that UConn’s head coach Dan Hurley and assistants have been helping him along the way. The coaches are in constant contact with him.

“They watch every game and text me, ‘keep going,’” Sanogo said in Las Vegas. “Their advice means a lot to me. They text me every day after every game.”

With his former coaches at his side, a two-way contract under his belt, and an impressive summer league performance to add to his resume, Sanogo is progressing nicely on the challenging path of an undrafted rookie free agent. He was active in spot duty for the Bulls’ first preseason tilt, logging four points, four rebounds, one assist, and one steal in just eight minutes. Though he may have been a bit slow to help on former teammate Andre Jackson as he stormed through the lane.

The Bulls have Nikola Vucevic and the oft-injured fellow Husky alum Andre Drummond anchoring the center positions. They also just signed Derrick Favors to a camp deal. It’s not unreasonable to see Sanogo get some time in a reserve role at some point during the 82-game schedule.