Bulls Two-Way Guard Jaylen Sellers Wants to Be Known as a Defender. He’s Not Backing Down.

Jaylen Sellers knows what he wants. And it’s not the highlight reels or the scoring numbers. At least not yet.

The undrafted guard signed a two-way deal with the Chicago Bulls. And after three Summer League games, Sellers has made one thing very clear: He’s coming for a reputation on the defensive end.

In Tuesday’s game against the Washington Wizards, the Bulls were trailing by one at the half. But that didn’t stop Sellers from setting a high bar for himself. “I want to be one of the best defenders in this league,” he told NBA on Prime. “And that is what I am going for.”

At 23 years old and 6-foot-6, Sellers has already drawn praise for his on-ball defense. He’s long, he’s quick, and he can switch across multiple positions. It’s a skill set that fits exactly what Chicago has been missing for years — a team that has struggled to build any kind of consistent defensive identity.

But it’s still a work in progress. And Sellers knows that. Which is probably why he’s leaning so hard into the challenge.

In his final college season at Providence, Sellers averaged 18.3 points and 4.2 rebounds per game. He shot 47.3% from the field and 42.9% from three. Those are legitimate numbers that earned him All-Big East Second Team honors. But in the pros, raw scoring alone doesn’t keep you on the floor.

Sellers got his first Summer League run Monday against the Utah Jazz. He finished with 13 points, 4 rebounds, and 2 blocks in a losing effort. The box score wasn’t pretty — Chicago lost 80-63. But the tape showed a guy who wasn’t afraid to get physical.

Some fans online were quick to criticize his opening game. But others, including Bulls insider Ross Pins, pushed back. “he took some unnecessary criticism after game one, but I really like Jaylin Sellers,” Pins posted, along with a clip that showed Sellers’ defensive activity.

The Bulls also have Caleb Wilson, another rookie with size and length who can affect shots. If Sellers can emerge as a genuine stopper, those two could create some real synergy on that side of the ball. That’s not nothing for a team that’s been trying to find a defensive identity for what feels like forever.

For now, Sellers is just trying to make the most of his two-way contract. That means every Summer League minute counts. And every stop matters.

He’s not hiding his goal. He wants to be one of the best defenders in this league. That’s a big ask for an undrafted rookie. But at least he’s not afraid to say it out loud.