Caleb Wilson has looked the part for Chicago, but the Rookie of the Year race is already turning into a steep climb.
The Bulls have put the ball in his hands from the jump, and Wilson has responded with 19.3 points, 6.2 rebounds, 2.1 assists, and 2.9 steals + blocks per game. He’s been a constant source of highlight plays and has flashed the kind of all-around skill set that makes him stand out on a crowded rookie stage.
Even with that strong start, his grip on the award picture has loosened a bit over the past week.
Wilson entered the 2026-27 season with the second-best odds to win Rookie of the Year, with Cameron Boozer of the Memphis Grizzlies seen as the main favorite. But the latest Rookie Ladder tells a different story now. Wilson has dropped to sixth, sitting behind Yaxel Lendeborg, Darius Acuff Jr., Cameron Boozer, Darryn Peterson, and AJ Dybantsa.
That means all three players drafted ahead of Wilson have now passed him in the rankings. Acuff, taken No. 7 by the Kings, and Lendeborg, selected No. 11 by the Warriors, have both surged into the conversation.
The betting market has shifted in a similar direction. FanDuel Sportsbook now lists Lendeborg at +210 as the favorite, with Boozer at +250 and Acuff at +350.
After that comes a sizable gap to Dybantsa at +700 and Wilson at +1000. Peterson is the only player who hasn’t moved ahead of Wilson in both the Rookie Ladder and the odds, though his situation could change quickly with Lauri Markkanen out for multiple weeks and a larger role possibly coming his way.
None of this is set in stone this early in the season. A couple of big games can change the whole picture in a hurry, and Wilson has the kind of talent that can push him right back up the board. But Chicago’s 1-8 start is working against him, and the teams surrounding him at the top of the race are helping their rookies make stronger cases.
Golden State is 8-3 with Lendeborg playing a vital role, while the Grizzlies are 7-3 with Boozer.
If Wilson is going to make up ground despite the Bulls’ record, Acuff offers the clearest example of how to do it. Sacramento is 1-10, yet Acuff is putting up 26.2 points and 7.3 assists per game, and he already has four 30+ point games in his brief NBA career.
Still, the point here isn’t that Wilson should start pressing. The Bulls need to develop him the right way and build winning habits around him. The bigger takeaway is that this year’s Rookie of the Year race is packed with more legitimate contenders than usual, and Wilson will need to keep finding new ways to leave his mark.
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Bulls Should Finally Give Jaylin Sellers A Real Offensive Chance
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Sellers has only seen limited minutes with the Bulls, but his G League work has suggested he can bring more than just depth. His shooting and playmaking are the traits that stand out most, and with Wilson sidelined, Chicago has a chance to see whether that translates when the games count and the offense is searching for answers. [Read more 🡒]