There was a normal consensus all through the primary 4 days of Chicago Bulls summer time league — Marko Simonović bulked up within the offseason.
Simonović’s progress earned him instant reward from summer time league coach John Bryant and the Bulls workers within the first days of coaching.
“I’m so happy to hear that because I’m really working on it,” Simonović mentioned Tuesday. “Every day I try to improve my body and put some muscles on.”
Simonović weighed 215 kilos when he arrived in Chicago as a newly drafted rookie out of Serbia. The heart mentioned he bulked as much as 240 kilos within the final 12 months, a 25-pound enhance that’s most seen throughout the expanse of his shoulders and chest. The Bulls media information, for the file, nonetheless lists Simonović at 220 kilos.
After debuting for the Bulls in November, Simonović performed most of his rookie ball with the Windy City Bulls within the G League. Although he rotated into Bulls practices all through the season, Simonović spent a lot of the last months of the season away from the primary workforce.
So his newfound dimension and energy got here as a shock to a number of the teaching workers when he walked into the gymnasium this month.
“He’s eating at least,” Bryant joked Tuesday after Simonović’s first apply with the summer time league roster.
But the middle says he didn’t have to regulate his weight-reduction plan.
Bryant — who works with the Bulls’ large males through the season — mentioned Simonović’s dimension was a promising signal for the younger heart. Rim safety and paint manufacturing are two factors of emphasis for the Bulls, who function with a smaller lineup that always permits opponents to play bully ball down low.
Bryant feels the second-year heart nonetheless must work on his capability to complete via contact, a ability that can solely be helped with elevated dimension and muscle mass.
Simonović famous his pick-and-pop abilities improved all through his rookie season, which might enable him to fit in as a like-for-like backup for beginning heart Nikola Vučević.
“His hands have gotten better along with his body,” Bryant mentioned. “He’s very much improved, particularly in pick-and-roll play.”
Simonović traveled dwelling to Europe for a part of the summer time however stored his sights set on the summer time league. While overseas, he skilled with Vučević, who speaks Serbian and provided recommendation about transitioning to the NBA.
The Balkan connection has been sturdy for the Bulls all summer time — the pair linked up with fellow Serbian Nikola Jovanović to coach through the offseason, and Vučević helped recruit capturing guard Goran Dragić to Chicago throughout free company.
Simonović mentioned the connection with Vučević has been important to his progress in Chicago.
“He’s like my big brother here,” Simonović mentioned. “He helped me on the court and off of the court.”
Despite Simonović’s progress over the past 12 months, Bryant mentioned he nonetheless wasn’t positive if Simonović will likely be able to change into a full-time member of the Bulls rotation subsequent season. The Bulls acquired heart Andre Drummond in certainly one of solely two free-agency acquisitions exterior of re-signing Zach LaVine.
But Simonović feels he has grown sufficient to be a constant characteristic of the Bulls rotation, even when these minutes come as a task participant.
“This is a process,” Simonović mentioned. “I know that it’s not all in one year. This is is a process and I need the time to understand everything and to learn everything. … I’m ready to work. I’ve been working every day to be better and to get some minutes in the NBA.”
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Source: www.bostonherald.com