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Chicago Bulls draft Arizona guard Dalen Terry with 18th overall pickMichael Labellarteon June 24, 2022 at 3:31 am

Chicago Bulls (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images)

The Chicago Bulls have selected guard Dalen Terry with the 18th overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft. While it is not the pick most had the Bulls making, it is a solid pickup to shore up the defense on the wing while adding more athleticism.

Terry was the heart and soul of the Arizona Wildcats last season, and he averaged 8.0 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 3.9 assists on 50 percent shooting and 36 percent from three-point range. He averaged about 28 minutes per game for the one-seeded Wildcats.

Terry is best on the defensive side, where he used his seven-foot-one wingspan and elite athleticism to shut-down opponents. He can guard positions 1-4 and immediately improves one of the most glaring holes on the roster. He is also able to stretch the floor quite well, especially on catch-and-shoot threes. He projects as a solid 3-D player in the NBA and should be a rotational player for the Bulls in the coming years.

Terry’s weaknesses include shaky shot creating as well as below average rebounding for his size. He was projected to go between picks 20 and 30, but the Bulls are banking on his potential as a defender and shooter.

The good thing is that the Bulls do not need him to be a go-to scorer, although improved offensive skills would be nice to see, especially through Summer League. The Bulls just need his defense and hopefully the shooting translates to the NBA as well. While Terry lacks in scoring, he does not lack confidence, as shown by one of his quotes after a pre-draft visit earlier in the summer.

Dalen Terry on being projected as a late first-rounder: “There’s gonna be a redraft in 10 years and it’s gonna be different.” pic.twitter.com/g8xlcprm46

— Sean Highkin (@highkin) June 15, 2022

Next: Chicago Bulls likely done with Coby White after drafting Dalen Terry

There is a lot to be excited about with Dalen Terry. He is only 19 and fills a huge role on this team already. The Bulls severely lacked defense on the wing, and they were exposed in that area down the stretch and in the playoffs. It is clear that the front office is prioritizing defense with this pick, and this most likely means Coby White is traded in the coming weeks.