Betalup is difficult for Chicago Bulls to move your smile.
The 24 -year -old forward cannot help himself when he talks about his current role. Some players adopt a serious tone, try to communicate their commitment to the game through a grump statement or make promises to present about their future in the league. But Bitim congratulates every conversation with a wide grin, followed by a acknowledgment of happiness.
With a laugh before Friday’s game against Milwauki box, he said, “I am happy to come here.”
Bitim knows that he worked hard to convert the G League contract with the bull into a multier deal. But when it comes to its last two weeks with Bulls – well, luck also played a heavy hand.
For example, there was no way, for Bitim to find out that when he booked tickets for his father to fly from Turkey to Chicago, his father would have a witness to signing him a full -time NBA contract. Or that he will make it in court on Wednesday in a double-overtime win over Cleveland Caviers. Or that he would play 28 minutes and with his father’s first point of his father’s career with his father, he used to please him from the stand of the joint center.
“This was the best moment of my life,” said Bitim.
Basketball has always been a family case for Bitim, whose parents played in Turkey. Consequently, sports is a source of entertainment, pleasure and constant interaction – and a source of competition. Bitim said that his parents still disagree who a better player.
Bitim’s mother played for the national team and regularly irritates that if not for pregnancy, she would have made a better career. But the family agrees to one thing: Bitim inherited his court’s vision from his mother, a point guard, and athleticism from his father, one forward.
“Since a young age, my family, they understood me,” Bitim said. “They helped me be better. We were always talking after the Games, even when I was 7 years old. I really did not seem pressure on me, but I always wanted to be a better player than him so that I (him) could be proud. ,
On February 28, 2024, Bulls celebrates Bulls on Bulls during overtime against cavaliers at the United Center. (Michael Reeves/Getty Image)
The NBA has never been too international. Its top stars Ho Ho Serbia, Slovenia, Cameron, Greece and France.
But it was still an adventurous effort for Bitim to cross a two-way contract with a team in the hope of playing its way on the roster through excellent performance in the G League.
Bulls coach Billy Donovan praised Bitim’s mentality for jumping from Turkish Super League to NBA.
Donovan said, “There is an honor level for him that he had to pass.” “Come here in all ways – it was not that it is a person who came from abroad and was a lottery pick and it just understood. He just picked up everything and came here and said: ‘Do you know what? I want to go for this. ‘I have received a lot of praise for this. ,
Bitim did not see it like this.
He always knew that he would jump, even if it means that it is coming inadvertently or doing his work through G. League.
“The biggest dream is to play in NBA and I always had that dream,” Bitim said. “I always believed in myself. I believed in my talent. It was a risk, but I think I play gambling on myself, I roll the dice.
“But it was not gambling for me. I trust hard, I trust trust. And here we are. I think I made the right choice. ,
Bitim has been closed in a full -time contract with bulls, but his future in relation to meaningful minutes is uncertain.
He clearly adds a significant length and shooting capacity, which is in a decimated roster that is struggling to find stability with the Tori Craig, Alex Caruso exploded and excluded both Zach Lavin and Patrick Williams for the season. But Donovan has been careful to reduce plans for further shooting.
Bitim returned to a blowout loss for the box on Friday for an equally important secondary change, adding six points in 16 minutes from the bench. And he is planning to embrace any future opportunity – he gets in court – regardless of time.
“I don’t care how many minutes I am going to get or not,” said Bitim. “I just want to help my team.”