July 3, 2018
The Chicago Bulls have signed 2018 No. 7 selection Wendell Carter Jr. and No. 22 selection Chandler Hutchison. In accordance with team policy, terms of the contracts were not released.
Carter Jr. (6-10, 259) played in 37 games (37 starts) for the Duke Blue Devils in 2017-18 and averaged 13.5 points, 9.1 rebounds and 2.05 blocks. He was only the sixth Blue Devil to shoot better than .500 from the field (.561), .400 from 3-point range (.413) and .700 at the free throw line (.738). Carter Jr. notched one of the best rookie seasons by a big man in Duke history, finishing second all-time among Blue Devil freshman in rebounds (335), blocked shots (76) and double-doubles (16). He was a second-team All-ACC selection, a unanimous pick to the ACC All-Freshman Team, earned NABC All-District recognition, was named ACC Rookie of the Week three times (11/20, 12/26, 2/26) and was a finalist for the Karl Malone Award. Carter Jr. won gold medals with USA Basketball at the 2015 FIBA Americas U16 Championship and the 2016 FIBA U17 World Championship, where he also made the all-tournament team, and was selected for the 2016 USA Basketball Men’s Junior National Team minicamp.
Hutchison (6-7, 197) played in 31 games (31 starts) and averaged 20.0 points, 7.7 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 1.48 steals, making him the first player in Boise State history to lead a team in points, rebounds, assists and steals. He finished his Broncos career with 1,478 points and 672 rebounds, putting him ninth and sixth in Boise State program history, respectively. Hutchison also finished his career tied for the most wins (87) in program history. He was named the Mountain West Player of the Year (media) in his senior season, All-Mountain West First Team (media and coaches), to the Mountain West All-Defensive Team, USBWA All-District VIII, the NABC All-District 17 First Team, and was the U.S. Basketball Writers Association National Player of the Week on Jan. 15, 2018. Hutchison recorded the first known triple-double in Boise State men’s basketball history with 23 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists against Portland (12/1), and he set the single-game scoring school record with 44 points against San Diego State (1/13).
