Caleb Wilson’s night ended early Wednesday, and the Bulls are now waiting on the next update.
Chicago pulled its top scorer in the third quarter of its matchup with the San Antonio Spurs after Wilson was seen heading back to the trainer’s room while holding his hand, a sign of a possible hand injury, per Underdog NBA. The Bulls later announced he would not return, according to Marc Spears of Andscape.
Wilson had already been listed as questionable before tipoff because of right hip soreness, with head coach Tiago Splitter making the call at game time. He still started, and in 15 minutes he finished with 15 points and five rebounds.
The injury came after Chicago had built a lead as large as 22 points against the team that made it to the NBA Finals. But the game flipped hard in the third quarter, when the Spurs stormed back and outscored the Bulls 34-19 to take a 90-89 lead.
Wilson’s exit matters even more for a Bulls team already stuck in a seven-game losing streak. He has been the franchise player and the driving force for Chicago this season, averaging 19.3 points and 6.4 rebounds per game.
His path to the league has already included one major setback. Before being drafted, Wilson’s college career at North Carolina ended early when he broke his thumb in March, forcing him out for the rest of the season. North Carolina then was upset by VCU in the first round of the NCAA tournament.
Since the season started, Wilson has been the catalyst for the Bulls, scoring with ease and showing the kind of flair that has fueled his rise. Chicago is also already dealing with other absences, with Norman Powell sidelined by back spasms and Nic Claxton and Jalen Smith working back from recent injuries.
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Chicagos fast start never turned into a finish, and the loss only got messier as the night went on. The Bulls let the Spurs regain momentum in the second half, and the game took another turn when Caleb Wilson, who had been listed as questionable before tip-off, left with an injury, adding another layer of concern to an already frustrating defeat. [Read more 🡒]