Ryan Arcidiacono is known to many basketball fans as one of the main cogs on the 2016 NCAA champion Villanova Wildcats as well as part of one of the most dramatic plays in college basketball history, making the assist on the buzzer-beating three pointer that won Villanova the title. After going undrafted in the 2016 NBA Draft, Arcidiacono kept working, catching on with the Austin Spurs (the San Antonio G-League team) and working on his game.
After a solid performance in last summer’s Summer League in Las Vegas, Arcidiacono (along with Antonio Blakeney) signed a two-way deal with the Bulls. While he spent most of this past season as a floor general for the Windy City Bulls, Arcidiacono did see court time in 24 games with the big league Bulls, adjusting to the speed of the NBA game and bringing his heady play, hustle and leadership onto the court. Let’s take a look at some of Arcidiacono’s big moments with the Bulls this season:
April 9, AT Brooklyn Nets (Nets 114, Bulls 105)
Late in the season the Bulls team, decimated by injuries, started giving time to the young players, including Arcidiacono. Though the team wasn’t able to pull out many victories down the stretch it gave Bulls fans a look at what the younger guys were capable of. In 23 minutes off the bench, Arcidiacono gave the Bulls a steady presence, scoring a season-high and very efficient 9 points with 4 assists and no turnovers in 23 minutes.
Arcidiacono Stat Line: 9 points (4-5 FG), 1-2 3PT, 4 assists, 2 rebounds, 0 turnovers
March 30, AT Orlando Magic (Bulls 90, Magic 82)
Arcidiacono had himself another solid effort in 15 minutes in this late-season Bulls road win, scoring 8 points on 4 shots and posting a plus/minus of +10 in an 8 point win. But more than the stat line, Arcidiacono impressed this game with his hustle. In a game which had little effect ont eh standings with both teams eliminated, Arcidiacono showed how badly he still wanted to win by launching himself three rows into the crowd at a loose ball, giving the Bulls one of the biggest hustle plays of the year.
Arcidiacono Stat Line: 8 points (3-4 FG), 2-3 3PT, 2 steals, 1 assist