CHICAGO _ When Chicago Bulls coach Fred Hoiberg was asked about David Nwaba, his face brightened.
"We love David and hope he's here for a long time," Hoiberg said before Friday's game.
The Lakers gave Nwaba his first chance in the NBA. But when they needed to clear salary cap space to sign Kentavious Caldwell-Pope last summer, Nwaba was a casualty.
When the Lakers waived Nwaba, the Bulls claimed him and he's been a good fit.
"I'm enjoying every second and they're believing in what I bring to the team and what I can bring defensively," Nwaba said. "That's where it all started. The Lakers gave me an opportunity because of what I brought on the defensive end, so it's good that they can see what I bring on that end and I just look to give my best effort and do the best I can to get stops."
The change of scenery was dramatic for Nwaba, who went to University High in Los Angeles and played college basketball at Cal Poly.
"I felt like I had to get away," Nwaba said. "Just been in Cali all my life. I think it was just a good opportunity to grow as an individual and just experience something else, something different. I think the transition worked out in my favor."
Nwaba played 20 games for the Lakers last season and already has played 37 for the Bulls, starting three. He was averaging 22.8 minutes, 7.4 points and 4.6 rebounds a game entering Friday and contributed eight points and five rebounds in 19 minutes against his old team.
His defense, though, was his hallmark in Los Angeles, and it still is.
"He can guard one through four," Hoiberg said. "We've had him on (Stephen) Curry late in games in the fourth quarter, we've also had him on Giannis (Antetokounmpo) in Milwaukee. There's just not a lot of guys that have that type of defensive versatility."
