When it comes to Chicago Bulls forward Denzel Valentine, there is a clear difference in his play from his 2016-17 rookie campaign to his 2017-18 sophomore season.

According to a recent article published by Sam Smith on NBA.com, Valentine opened up about his transition from last season and his ability to play to his strengths.

“I was programmed from last year to just catch and shoot a three,” Valentine said. “Get yourself going from three and that’s how you are going to be inserted into the game. But that’s not my game at all. That’s just a piece of my game.”

Denzel Valentine also knows that in order to succeed in the NBA, he has to be able to adjust on the fly and be patient along the way.

“It’s just all part of growing up and learning who you are as a pro,” Valentine said. “It’s happening for a reason. I feel I’m getting better and I’m trying to keep improving.”

Coming into Monday night's contest, Valentine was averaging 9.3 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 2.9 assists per game in roughly 28.3 minutes of action per contest.

The Bulls continue to be one of the more pleasant surprises this season in the NBA. After their dismal 3-20 start, the return of power forward Nikola Mirotic sparked a stretch in December where the Bulls (13-24) won 10-of-12 games. However, Chicago has now lost two heartbreakers in a row as the team awaits the return of rising star guard Zach LaVine to make his Bulls debut next month.