Onuralp Bitim seems like an American. His legs became wobbly the one time he met Michael Jordan. He modeled himself after Kobe Bryant. And he takes a three pointer just about every time he shoots the basketball. There’s one inconsistency; he doesn’t seem to feel like money is that important. I know!
“I played for Huntington Prep (High School) for one year with some good players like Miles Bridges, but then I had to go back to my country because of some family, private issues,” the Bulls new two-way G League player from Turkey was explaining recently. “By then the NBA was my only goal and I started to realize I needed to show myself better for my future more than money wise. There were a lot of European teams wanting me, but I chose to be here because I want to play in the NBA and I want to learn the game and I think I cannot know (the NBA game without being here). It’s a long journey and I am just happy to get started.
“So, yes, there is much more (money) with top European teams,” Bitim admits. “I just never think about the money. That’s how my family raised me. I just know my goals and I know that if I chase my dreams the money will come. The thing is I love playing basketball. I am a fan of basketball.”
And so perhaps instead of millions of dollars to play in Spain, Italy, Turkey or Serbia, Bitim will be on a two-way contract with the Windy City Bulls probably worth about $500,000 — which will get you by in Buffalo Grove, so he won’t go hungry — instead of flying high in the Euroleague.
But the two-time Turkish league all-star weekend slam dunk champion says as the Bulls prepare for their penultimate preseason game Tuesday in the United Center against the Toronto Raptors he can’t be happier than he is now, getting his first NBA experience with the Bulls in preseason games, if briefly. And that special first time putting on the Bulls jersey last week in the home preseason opener in the United Center.
“It was magical,” Bitim enthused. “After the game I talked with family. They (parents) were both basketball players. Their era was the Chicago Bulls team. Michael Jordan inspired them to be better players, and here I am playing in that jersey on me. I felt unbelievable, but also I felt somewhere that I belong. It was a moment I can never forget.”
And quietly Bitim is hitting some high notes.
He’s played in two of the Bulls three preseason games, off the bench and actually not that much, 12 minutes Sunday in Denver and five in the opener against Milwaukee last week.
But the 6-foot-5 shooting guard showed he’s not intimidated nor uncertain. And to his reputation, he will get shots up.
He’s probably been more of whom Bulls coach Billy Donovan generally has been talking about.
In 17 minutes in the two games, Bitim has attempted six shots, five from three-point land. And he’s made four. He’s scored 12 points in those 17 minutes, reinforcing the scouting reports about him from Europe as an attacking volume scorer. He hasn’t shown, perhaps in deference to the talent around him, the demonstrative court personality that some regarded as bordering on arrogance. Which isn’t a bad trait for a shooter, and perhaps not someone who studied the game and manner of superstar Bryant.
“My inspiration first was Kobe Bryant and Manu Ginobili, and from my country we had Hedo Türkoğlu and Mehmet Okur,” recounted the Istanbul native. “They made me want to play and be better. Kobe stood out as my hero growing up. I watched all his games, how he shoots, how he passes, how he plays defense, his mentality. And also watching Manu because what he was doing amazed me because he was one of the best star players, but also like a role player. He was really important. I feel that is really important on teams that are chasing the title; what he did was team first.
“Like with this Bulls team,” Bitim said. “We have a lot of good superstars on this team like Vooch (Nikola Vučević) and Zach (LaVine) and DeMar (DeRozan). I watched a lot of times DeMar and Zach; they also inspired me. I was a huge fan of them. So the opportunity for me to practice and play with them right now (is valuable) because I am learning a lot of things from them, and also AC (Alex Caruso) about defense. I know I can bring good energy. I know I am a good shooter. I know I am a good scorer. I can help my team on defense and rebounds, too.
Asked about an NBA comparison, the solidly built 220-pounder mentioned Lakers ingenue Austin Reaves.
“What he does now in the NBA, I was nearly the same in Europe,” said Bitim. “Good shooter, ball handler, energy guy and right now in a different place (to) become a more important player (for the team).”
Bitim also has been likened to the one time and popular Bull, Andrés Nocioni, perhaps a bit shorter but more athletic with that similar edgy game personality. Bitim’s beard is reddish with flecks of gray in his curly hair. He has a welcoming smile, but also a reputation of somewhat like Bryant for not suffering fools on the court.
“When I was seven my mom was working as a coach, so she was working with a club and I went there and started to play basketball and when I became 12 and 13 everyone in the country started to know my name; mom she is my everything,” Bitim said. “I went to Istanbul to play for them when I was 14. I got an invitation from the Jordan Brand camp when I was 15 and 16, so I came here to New York for the Jordan Brand camp and met Michael Jordan. That was unbelievable. After that I always wanted to play for an NBA team after I played in the Barclays Center.”
Bitim attended the West Virginia prep school after that and then returned to Turkey to play for top pro teams, where he often was a 20-point-per-game scorer. The 24-year-old is an only child, father Mustafa and mother Hilal professional players in Turkey, and his mother later a coach of one of the teams he played for after turning professional at 14. He was part of multiple Turkish national U-16 and U-17 medal-winning teams in FIBA competitions and starred in the Turkish championship series.
Now it’s back to being an apprentice as Bitim seeks to make his way to the big city of the NBA. And Chicago, which he intimates fits like the overcoat he’s preparing.
“Chicago is a big city so it feels like home,” said Bitim. “They tell me the winter is really cold, but it feels comfortable with great restaurants, museums, parks.”
So perhaps given his journey it’s appropriate it begins in the suburbs.
“This season I want to show everybody I belong to NBA and I want to show people I can still improve my game in the G League and the games here (with the Bulls),” Bitim said. “I want to be a part of the team because I think we have a great team and I want to be a part of the success of what we can do.
“I trust my abilities,” says the confident Bitim. “I am a good scorer, but I believe I am a much better player than just a good scorer. We have a lot of good scorers already, so what I can bring is not only scoring but some good intensity, and then good rebounds, to help the team with all my skills.”
You know, the good ol’ American way.
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