Simonović makes NBA All-Summer League second team originally appeared on NBC Sports Chicago
Chicago Bulls second-year big man Marko Simonović took home some hardware for his strong showing in the 2022 Summer League.
Simonović earned one of five selections on the All-Summer League second team, the NBA announced Monday, along with Memphis' Santi Aldama, Indiana's Bennedict Mathurin, Portland's Trendon Watford and Milwaukee's Lindell Wigginton.
Tari Eason, Quentin Grimes, Sandro Mamukelashvili, Keegan Murray and Cam Thomas made the first team.
Simonović averaged 15.6 points, 8.8 rebounds and 2 assists while shooting 50.8 percent in five Summer League appearances this year, anchoring the center spot for a Bulls team that finished the showcase with a 4-1 record.
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Those scoring and rebounding averages each ranked first on the Summer Bulls, while Simonović's 24.5 minutes per game slotted third. He also posted two monster double-doubles and submitted clutch bucket after clutch bucket in the team's overtime win against the Mavericks in their Summer League opener.
It's unclear whether Simonović's all-around improvements — he averaged 12 points and 4.4 rebounds in 18.9 minutes per game last Summer League — will translate to increased opportunity with the regular-season Bulls. He was similarly productive for the Windy City Bulls in his rookie year, but never saw the floor for the big-league team outside of garbage time.
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At the very least, pre-Summer League talk of Simonović's bulked-up frame and growth as a passer translated to success in a key development opportunity. He now has the credentials to prove it.
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