Some NBA first-round picks have it easy. They walk into the locker room with high expectations and a place waiting for them in the starting lineup. But that simply wasn't the case for Arkansas standout Bobby Portis.
Portis was selected with the 22nd pick in last June's draft by the Bulls, but was a healthy scratch in 20 of Chicago's first 24 games, totaling just 26 minutes in his four appearances. Yet, the early struggles didn't hurt Portis' spirits or make him want to leave; it only forced him to work harder.
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And that work has paid off for Portis during the past seven games. The 6-11 power forward has seen an uptick in playing time since Joakim Noah went down with a shoulder injury and has taken advantage of every opportunity, averaging 11.3 points and 6.9 rebounds during that stretch.
"Bobby can play, man," Bulls shooting guard Jimmy Butler said, via The Chicago Tribune. "He's talking a lot of trash in practice too. I don't think he lets the rookie card get to him. And he listens. When he makes a mistake, he's asking a question. You don't find that in rookies. They just think they know it all. That kid is going to be good for a really long time here."
Not only has Portis excelled in his first meaningful NBA action, he's also helped revitalize a team in need of a spark.
"He's definitely a confident guy. He's not shy. He plays with a lot of heart. And he just goes," Bulls center Pau Gasol said. "It has been great to see. It has been a plus for us when we need him. I commend him for being ready."
Portis played a season-high 30 minutes Friday against the Knicks and recorded his second-career double-double (his first also came against the Knicks). With Derrick Rose struggling to see and shoot, and an aging frontcourt that has a lot of minutes under its belt, Chicago needed energy on offense. And so far, Portis has shown he's more than ready to fill that role.