Onuralp Bitim looks American. His legs were shaking the only time he met Michael Jordan. He was inspired by Kobe Bryant. And he makes a 3-pointer almost every time he shoots the ball. There is an inconsistency; He doesn't seem to think money is that important. I know!
“I played for a year in Huntington Prep (High School) with some good players like Miles Bridges, but then I had to go back to my country because of some family and private problems,” said the new G League dual player sense of the Bulls. Türkiye explained this recently. “By now the NBA was my only goal and I began to understand that I had to show myself better for my future more than in terms of money. There were a lot of European teams that wanted me, but I chose to be here because I want to play in the NBA and I want to learn the game and I don't think I can learn about it (the NBA game without being here). . It's a long journey and I'm happy to get started.
“So yes, there is a lot more money in the top European teams,” admits Bitim. “I never think about money. This is how my family raised me. I just know my goals and I know if I follow my dreams the money will come. The thing is, I love playing basketball. "I'm a basketball fan."
And then, perhaps instead of millions of dollars to play in Spain, Italy, Turkey or Serbia, Bitim will have a two-way contract with the Windy City Bulls, probably worth around $500,000, which will allow him to survive in Buffalo Grove, so he won. Don't starve, he flies high in the Euroleague.
But the two-time Turkish League Weekend Dunk Champion says that as the Bulls prepare for their penultimate preseason game Tuesday at the United Center against the Toronto Raptors, he couldn't be happier than he is right now, at his first NBA experience with the Bulls in preseason games, albeit briefly. And that special first time wearing the Bulls jersey last week in the first preseason home game at the United Center.
“It was magical,” Bitim enthused. “After the match I spoke to the family. Both (parents) were basketball players. His time was the Chicago Bulls team. Michael Jordan inspired them to become better players, and here I am, playing in that jersey. I felt great, but I also felt like I belonged somewhere. It was a moment I will never forget."
And Bitim is quietly hitting some high notes. He played in two of the Bulls' three preseason games, coming off the bench and not much, 12 minutes Sunday at Denver and five in the season opener against Milwaukee last week.
But the 6-foot-5 guard showed he isn't intimidated or insecure. And for his reputation they will shoot him.
He was probably more than what Bulls coach Billy Donovan talked about in general.
In the 17 minutes of the two games, Bitim attempted six shots, five of them from the three-point line. And he made four. He scored 12 points in those 17 minutes, bolstering scouts' reports of him in Europe as a volume offensive scorer. He did not show, perhaps out of respect for the talent around him, that expansive court personality that some considered him to border on arrogance. Which is not a bad trait for a shooter, and perhaps not for someone who has studied the game and mannerisms of superstar Bryant.
“My first inspiration was Kobe Bryant and Manu Ginobili, and from my country we had Hedo Türkoğlu and Mehmet Okur,” the Istanbul native said. “They made me want to play and improve. Kobe stood out as my hero growing up. I saw all his games, how he shoots, how he passes, how he plays defense, his mentality. And also seeing Manu because I was amazed at what he did because he was one of the best star players, but also as a role player. It was really important. I think this is really important for teams chasing the title; what he did was put the team first.
“Just like this Bulls team,” Bitim said. “We have a lot of good superstars on this team like Vooch (Nikola Vučević), Zach (LaVine) and DeMar (DeRozan). I've seen DeMar and Zach many times; They also inspired me. I was a big fan of theirs. So the opportunity for me to train and play with them right now (is precious) because I'm learning a lot of things from them, and also from AC (Alex Caruso) defensively. I know I can bring good energy. I know I have good aim. I know I'm a good scorer. I can also help my team in defense and rebounding.
When asked about an NBA comparison, the burly 220-pounder mentioned Lakers ingenue Austin Reaves.
“What he does now in the NBA, I was almost the same in Europe,” Bitim said. “Good shooter, ball handler, guy with energy and right now in a different place (to) become a more important player (for the team).”
Bitim has also been compared to the former popular Toro, Andrés Nocioni, perhaps a little shorter but more athletic with that similar bold playing personality. Bitim's beard is reddish with gray patches in his curly hair. He has a welcoming smile, but also Bryant's reputation for not suffering fools on the court.
“When I was seven, my mother worked as a coach, so she worked at a club and I went there and started playing basketball and when I was 12 and 13, everyone in the country started knowing my name; Mom, she is everything to me,” Bitim said. “I went to Istanbul to play with them when I was 14. I got an invitation to Jordan Brand camp when I was 15 and 16, so I came here to New York for Jordan Brand camp and met Michael Jordan. It was amazing. “After that, I always wanted to play for an NBA team after playing at Barclays Center.”
Bitim later attended West Virginia High School and then returned to Turkey to play for top professional teams, where he often scored 20 points per game. The 24-year-old is an only child, his father Mustafa and mother Hilal are professional players in Turkey, and his mother went on to coach one of the teams he played for after turning professional at 14. He has been part of numerous Turkish national teams. 16 and U-17, medal-winning teams in FIBA competitions and protagonists of the Turkish championship series.
Now he's back as a trainee as Bitim tries to reach the big city of the NBA. And Chicago, which according to him suits him as well as the coat he is preparing.
“Chicago is a big city, so you feel at home,” Bitim said. “They tell me winter is very cold, but I feel comfortable with great restaurants, museums and parks.”
So perhaps, given your journey, it is appropriate to start on the outskirts.
“This season I want to show everyone that I belong in the NBA and I want to show them that I can still improve my game in the G League and the games here (with the Bulls),” Bitim said. “I want to be part of the team because I think we have a great team and I want to be part of the success of what we can do.
“I trust my abilities,” Bitim says confidently. “I'm a good scorer, but I think I'm a much better player than just a scorer. We already have many good scorers, so what I can give is not only scoring, but also good intensity and then good rebounds, to help the team with all my abilities."
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