Gar Forman said afterward the Bulls have always sought out the player they believed to be the best available when their turn came. This isn't like football where you might draft according to your needs. Basketball practically thrives on talent alone, so whoever has the most to contribute will have greater chances. The Bulls felt Portis was that guy.
The first thing you have to know about Portis is he plays angry. It comes from a teenage memory when he stood up to his mother's boyfriend, who was about to knock her with his fist. Portis now prepares for games as if somebody's about to hurt her again. If only Tom Thibodeau had been able to stick around long enough to see that intensity nightly.
Portis' recent sophomore season ended with him being named SEC Player of the Year. That happens when you average 17.5 points and 8.9 rebounds over 29.9 minutes. His 3.69 offensive rebounds per games ranked 10th in the country. In short, the Bulls might have selected their next power forward to put up nightly double-doubles.
At 6-11, 246 pounds, Portis already has the body for the NBA. With that, he's able to drive to the hoop without much trouble. If that's not enough, he has a great midrange game and doesn't hesitate to contribute on defense. So he can be very dangerous in a lot of areas.
When wondering why it took so long for him to be selected, one might point to his weak post game or that his athleticism only goes so high. That would explain why he's not as explosive. His footwork near the hoop will also give him trouble at first as that hasn't fully developed either. If he truly wants to be among the elite double-double machines in the game, that will have to change.
More likely though, Portis might have fallen because teams were going after guards. After Utah picked the 6-10 Trey Lyles of Kentucky at 12th, Portis was the next post player selected. Wisconsin's Sam Dekker, drafted by Houston at 18th, is 6-9, but listed as a small forward. It's a sign that the game is going small and everyone is trying to capitalize on that.
If Forman really believes in taking the best player on the board and thinks Portis was it, that hopefully doesn't mean he's blinded by his own philosophy. Conventional wisdom seemed to say the Bulls needed a long-term solution at backup point guard instead of changing the person in that role year after year. Instead, the Bulls will likely be shopping for one again and telling Aaron Brooks to sign elsewhere. However, they probably preferred to take that route instead of once again ignoring an area they've largely neglected in the draft's first round in this decade.
On Opening Night, the average age of the trio of Pau Gasol, Joakim Noah and Taj Gibson will be 31.7. Gasol's getting older, Noah never recovered from knee surgery last year and Gibson could be sidelined at the start of the season with his ankle injury. It won't be long before the younger, quicker post players start taking advantage of that. Portis helps address that concern and could start before too long.
This pick also means a crowded frontcourt, leading some to believe Gibson will eventually be traded. That obviously won't happen while he's sidelined, but once he comes back, he should draw the attention of scouts, assuming he's back to being the player he's been. Gibson has two years left on his contract and if the Bulls have faith in Portis, they'll have Gibson and the others show him the ropes. After all, NBA players have to help rookies adjust to the league instead of just haze them.
Best of luck to Portis as he adjusts from small-time Arkansas to a big city like Chicago. True, he's had lots of national exposure already, but he'll soon be signing a long-term commitment to stay in a major metropolitan area. It will be up to him to ensure his ride here is a smooth one. And it will be up to his team to give him the environment to do it in.
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