Dalen Terry eager to display improved defensive skills

Dalen intends to showcase his suffocating defense in the Summer League.

Dalen Terry came into the Summer League looking to prove himself worthy of rotation minutes on the Chicago Bulls next season. As the 18th pick of last year’s NBA Draft, the Arizona product played sparingly, appearing in just 38 games, playing five minutes per game. Eager to carve out a spot for himself on the roster, one aspect of Terry’s game that has stood out has been his defense.

Locked Gradey Dick down

In Terry’s first taste of Summer League action, the Bulls took on the Toronto Raptors, who featured Gradey Dick, the prolific wingman from Kansas who was selected 13th overall in this year’s draft. Terry did not hesitate to take on the match-up and delivered a masterclass in defense.

“A fan coming to watch this game, they are going to say it’s me versus him,” Terry said. “So obviously I’ve got to win the matchup.”

While Terry was covering him, Dick failed to score a single point and ended the game with just 10 points on 3-of-12 shooting. Terry, though, was not done. Seeing Raptors’ guard Markquis Nowell score easily, he requested the Bulls’ Summer League coach John Bryant to put him on the former. Bryant initially refused but gave in later as Terry was relentless with his request.

“In the huddle, he said, ‘Coach, I got him.’ And so you’ve got to trust a player when he requests a player. I said, ‘It’s on you if he scores.’ And he said, ‘I got you,’” Bryant shared.

Nowell finished with 17 points, but scored just six in the fourth, when Terry began tracking him on defense.

“He was the head of the snake for their team at the end,” Terry said. “That’s why I ended up switching onto him and guarding him.”

Can Terry be consistent?

As with everything in the big league, it all boils down to consistency. Can Terry put up this kind of effort night in and out?

“I love that type of energy and effort and accountability to want to be great defensively,” Bryant said. “Let’s see how it continues. I think he’s a great defender. I think he has the ability to be a great, consistent defender. But if he continues to take charge defensively like that, wow. That’s kind of scary, right?”