Onuralp Bitim delivers in his first chance at playing extended minutes

"I was dreaming of this moment for a really long time."

© David Banks-USA TODAY Sports

Nobody saw it coming since nobody knew who he was. However, on Wednesday night, young Turkish wingman Onuralp Bitim made sure everyone knew who he was, delivering a performance that will echo through the halls of the United Center for the remainder of the season.

Playing only his third NBA game with the big, bad Cleveland Cavaliers in town, Bitim’s number was called—no thanks to the Chicago Bulls’ dearth of forwards—and he responded with 10 points and six rebounds in 27 minutes. He also showed uncanny poise down the stretch, hitting two free throws with under a minute left in the second overtime to help keep the Cavs at bay.

Indescribable feeling

As a youngster growing up in Kadıkoy, Turkey, Bitim recalled dreaming of flourishing on the NBA stage. He made that dream come true against the Cavs and the young man was practically beaming with joy after the game.

“I really can’t describe how I feel. But it’s not about my English, even my own language,” Bitim said.

“I was dreaming of this moment for a really long time. And I was really trying to be ready and my teammates really helped me, my coaches. I knew the chance was going to come. You just never know when. You just have to be ready. We as players always have to be ready mentally and physically.”

Apart from helping the Bulls pull off the improbable victory, Bitim shared one of the highlights of his night was DeMar DeRozan telling him how proud he was of him.

“Deebo told me he was proud of me. That means a lot to me. I grew up watching him. He was one of my idols. And now we’re on the court together. We won together. Hearing those words from him was a really huge blessing.”

ALL the love to Onuralp Bitim for his effort tonight

27 minutes, 10 points, 6 rebounds pic.twitter.com/XYyw9jfkPv

— Bulls Talk (@NBCSBulls) February 29, 2024

Not surprised Bitim rose to the occasion

While Bitim is new to the NBA, he has been playing professional basketball in Turkey since 2019. It is for this reason Bulls coach Billy Donovan wasn’t surprised when he stepped up in such a big way.

“Where he has played and where he's from, he has played in a lot of big moments and a lot of big games and a lot of pressurized situations,” Donovan said.

“Obviously, I didn't know he was going to play like that. But besides the shots he made, the free throws were huge. He has worked really hard. I'm happy for him. For his first opportunity to go like that, it helped us immensely.”

Onuralp Bitim drills the triple for his first NBA bucket 🔥

pic.twitter.com/jhq7nPZ2Xq

— Bulls Nation (@BullsNationCP) February 29, 2024

Chicago Bulls pull off an incredible double-overtime win over the Cleveland Cavaliers