The Chicago Bulls didn’t lose the draft lottery; their counterpart, the previously 11th-ranked Dallas Mavericks, just got incredibly lucky landing the first overall pick. On the other hand, the Bulls, whose pre- and post-lottery draft positions went unchanged, will indubitably remain in NBA purgatory.

Nevertheless, with the NBA Draft on the horizon, a sense of optimism can be felt. Chicago will be adding its next potential building block in a little over a month. After selecting a likely All-Rookie Second Team selection in Matas Buzelis a year ago, the Bulls will once again try their hand at landing a foundational player.

The Bulls have their sights set on what type of player that is. Chicago brass met with Texas’s Tre Johnson, Georgia’s Asa Newell, UConn’s Liam McNeeley, South Carolina’s Collin Murray-Boyles, and Georgetown’s Thomas Sorber amid the NBA Draft Combine. All but two (Johnson and Sorber) are NBA forwards.

Johnson, albeit likely off the board once the Bulls make their selection, is a score-first guard with shades of Brooklyn Nets’ Cam Thomas to his game. Although a high-impact player who led all freshmen in scoring a season ago, Johnson’s fit with the Bulls is questionable. Chicago already has its score-first off-guard in Coby White. Moreover, after averaging the sixth-most points per game in the NBA, a scorer shouldn’t be on Chicago’s radar.

Georgetown’s Sorber’s combine measurements are awe-inspiring

Who fits the profile is Georgetown’s Sorber. The 19-year-old doesn’t necessarily fit the combo forward mold, yet he’s a versatile frontcourt option, capable of suiting up at center and potentially power forward. At 6-foot-9, his height suggests he’d suit up at the four. However, his 7-foot-6 wingspan and 263-pound frame tell a different story.

Sorber’s 7-foot-6 wingspan is the second-longest in the draft, only behind Duke’s Khaman Maluach, who measured three inches taller. Among NBA players, Sorber’s wingspan would rank within the top-15, where, at 6-foot-9 and a fourth, he’d be the shortest player of the grouping.

While he’s not an exceptional athlete by any means, Sorber averaged an unusually high 1.5 steals and 2.0 blocks per game. Such high steal and block averages typically point to plus athleticism. Yet, in Sorber’s case, his impressive defensive counting stats are products of his absurd length and preternatural basketball awareness. As Danny Chau of the Ringer puts it, “[Sorber] processes the game at 1.25-time speed.”

Sorber’s vast skill set is going under the radar

There’s not a ton of flash to Sorber’s game, and unfortunate circumstances limited the big man from putting athletic concerns to rest at the NBA Combine. Sorber suffered a season-ending foot injury in February. Thus, he was unable to participate in any athletic testing whatsoever.

Still, when watching Sorber’s tape, his top-notch basketball instincts and processing speed are evident. The freshman averaged merely 2.2 fouls per game, or 2.8 per 40 minutes. That’s less than Maluach, Murray-Boyles, and Newell on a per-40-minute basis.

Sorber played the role of a help defender to a tee. He routinely follows the action and rotates almost with a sense of foresight. The 6-foot-9 big man’s discipline is unlike most collegiate freshmen. He doesn’t fly around and reject shots in emphatic fashion or come out of nowhere to surprise attacking guards. Instead, he uses innate verticality and a seemingly unfair head start to contest his opposition at the rim. Many of Sorber’s blocked shots occurred with two hands as he jumped straight up to alter his opponent’s field goal attempt without clear intent to record a block.

Unlike Maluach, Sorber’s ceiling doesn’t scream defensive centerpiece. He’s too well-rounded offensively and operates similarly to the bigs of the NBA’s past. Rather than a rim-rolling lob threat, like many centers today, Sorber prefers operating with his back to the basket. Many times, the Georgetown product would race down the floor to better his low-post positioning and identify mismatches with his modus operandi set on scoring.

Despite Sorber’s penchant for post-scoring, he attempted 37 three-pointers this past season—1.5 per game. Yet, he converted merely six threes this past season. On a positive note, he’s comfortable in the mid-range. Sorber’s jumper isn’t all too inspiring, but he can knock it down when left open.

The 19-year-old’s production makes him a worthwhile first-round pick. He averaged 14.5 points, 8.5 rebounds, and 2.4 assists to go along with his impressive defensive metrics. However, Sorber’s tantalizing measurements suggest lottery potential. At 6-foot-9, with elite shot-blocking numbers, Sorber’s fit in Chicago is like a glove. He can be used similarly to Nikola Vucevic on offense while working as the Bulls’ last line of defense, deterring penetrating guards from easy looks at the rim.