Bulls sign Illinois Guard Marcus Domask |
Despite having just one pick in the 2024 NBA draft, all was not lost for the Chicago Bulls as they had an opportunity to make some noise on the undrafted free agent market. That is one area that Arturas Karnisovas has done well with the past few seasons, including plucking Adama Sanogo last year, who went on to be the best player for the Windy City Bulls before seeing a few games in the NBA late in the year.
Looking to duplicate that success from last season, the Bulls didn't waste any time finding an undrafted free agent that fit what they were looking for as they have signed Illinois G Marcus Domask. As of now, the deal is an Exhibit 10 deal, but that does give the Bulls the opportunity to add him on a fully guaranteed one-year deal or a straight two-year deal heading into the season. One of the best scorers in Wisconsin and the best player of all time at his high school (Waupun, WI), Domask was surprisingly not a highly-rated recruit and went on to commit to the Southern Illinois Salukies. Once there, Domask went on to have an excellent career, finishing his career with 1615 points and playing 35.2 minutes per game, finishing ninth in program history. The minutes rank No. 1 all-time in program history, and during his 106 games with the Salukies, Domask became just the second player in program history to surpass 1600 points, 500 rebounds, and 300 assists. With one year of eligibility left, Domask had an opportunity to take his talents elsewhere and elected to remain in the state of Illinois, where he joined Brad Underwood and the Illinois Fighting Illini. Early in the season, Domask wasn't seen as a big-time player for this team and was forced to play his way into the rotation. Not only did he do that, but he emerged as one of the team's most trusted options during the second half of the season and continued to do that in the NCAA tournament. Domask finished his lone year at Illinois with 15.9 points and 5.0 rebounds. He helped lead the Fighting Illini to the Elite Eight before falling to the eventual national champion UCONN Huskies. There are a lot of games that stand out this season for Domask, but the NCAA tournament opener against Morehead State could go down as his best game, as he finished with a 22-point triple-double. Initially looking to return to school next season, he was denied an extra year of eligibility, which made it possible for him to sign with a team. The Bulls had some interest in him during the scouting process, and they used that to their advantage. He is expected to not only play for the Bulls summer League roster, but is expected to be a player in the running for a two-way deal this season. At 6-6 and 215 pounds, Domask is not only a tall G but also an athletic and tall guard, which is something the Bulls look for in a player. When you look at Lonzo Ball and Matas Buzelis, Domask has a similar build to them and can do a lot of what both guys do. Always known as a solid scorer, Domask got better each season in college and seemed to play his best when he was facing his best competition. That doesn't always happen, and seeing that happen this past season has given the Bulls some confidence that he will be able to hold his own against NBA-level competition. Another thing that Domask brings to the table that the Bulls have been lacking over the years is consistent shooting, especially from the outside. Domask is an 87% free-throw shooter, which would be in the top three on this team, while also shooting 45.3% from the field. His three-point percentage was a bit down at Illinois at 29.7%, but he was shooting north of 34% with the Salukies, so there is more to his outside game than he showed last season.
