The Bulls have spent the first stretch of the season learning as they go, and Caleb Wilson has already given them a little of everything. The No. 4 pick in the 2026 Draft opened his career with a debut that was messy enough to make history for the wrong reasons, piling up turnovers and posting the lowest plus-minus ever in an NBA rookie debut. Since then, though, the young forward has shown how quickly he can adjust.
That growth showed up most clearly on Saturday, when Wilson delivered 30 points and 14 rebounds in a loss to the Wizards. His athleticism has jumped off the page from the start, and his ability to learn in real time has been part of what has stood out through three games.
The next step, as the Bulls figure out how to use him, is keeping things simple and patient instead of trying to force every possession. His defense has swung back and forth, but the weak-side shot-blocking potential is obvious.
Maybe the most promising sign of all, according to Julia Poe of the Chicago Tribune, is how badly he wants to erase his own mistakes once they happen.
That same developmental theme is running through the rest of the roster under first-year head coach Tiago Splitter. Joe Cowley writes that Splitter is bringing a firm edge to the job, pushing his players with a style that echoes the tough-love approach he experienced from Gregg Popovich.
“ In general players got to compete every possession and we’re not there yet,” Splitter said. “ But that’s how I believe they get better.
They need pressure. They need to have minutes as well, but they need to feel the pressure of when they’re not playing the way I want, you’re going ot sit with me for a little bit.”
That message has already reached Matas Buzelis, who sat for most of the fourth quarter against the Bucks. Splitter, though, brushed off any major drama, saying, “ We’re making it a bigger deal than it should be.”
Noa Essengue appears headed for some minutes near the back of the rotation, but his Saturday absence came after a hit to the head on Friday left him dealing with light sensitivity, according to Cowley. Essengue’s approach has already been shaped by what happened in Summer League, when his minutes were cut because of concerns about his intensity and emotionality.
He took that lesson seriously. “ It was a strong message,” Essengue said.
“ To see my playing time cut in Summer League because they said I don’t put any force or energy on the court, it was something where it just forces you to change it.” Against the Bucks, he only scored four points, but he did provide the kind of defensive disruption the Bulls want from him early on.
Now comes the hard part. Chicago’s early learning curve is about to get steeper, with the Celtics, the Knicks twice, the Sixers twice, and the Spurs all coming up over the next couple weeks.
The Bulls know they’re not built around superstar names, and they’re leaning into the pieces they do have. Wilson put it plainly: “ Not every team has a [ Victor Wembanyama ]; not every team has a Jayson Tatum,” Wilson said.
“ So every game we go out there with the approach that we need to be great players and do what we need to do because it’s about us. I feel like, with this team, we’re really well-rounded, and I feel like that’s going to be to our benefit.
I like us, so I’m excited for the opportunity.”
In Other News...
Bulls Fans Got The Exact Spark They Wanted From Two Young Names
The United Center got the kind of early jolt it had been waiting for in the Bulls home opener against Washington, with two young names quickly setting the tone. Caleb Wilson and Matas Buzelis helped ignite the building in the first quarter, and the energy carried into a first half that felt like it belonged to the next wave of this roster as much as the established pieces.
Wilson, in particular, was everywhere early, piling up 17 points before halftime and doing much of his damage above the rim. With the Bulls ahead 62-57 at the time of reporting, the larger question shifted from the hot start itself to whether Chicago could keep that same burst going once the Wizards tried to settle the game down. [Read more 🡒]
Caleb Wilson Is Giving Bulls Fans A Rebuild Reason To Care
Through two games, there has already been a small but noticeable reason for Bulls fans to lean in: rookie Caleb Wilson looks like a player who fits the direction Chicago wants to go. After opening with a loss to Toronto, Wilson followed with a win over Milwaukee and put up 16 points and four rebounds in the first game before coming back with 21 points and six rebounds the next time out.
That kind of early production matters for a team trying to make its rebuild feel tangible, not theoretical. Bulls vice president of basketball operations Bryson Graham has already pointed to Wilsons growth as part of a long-term plan built around size, length, athleticism and physicality, the sort of profile Chicago wants to keep stacking as it reshapes the roster. [Read more 🡒]
Bulls Win Still Left One Matas Buzelis Decision Under Fire
The Bulls finally got into the win column with a 132-125 victory over the Bucks, but the celebration came with a bit of an eyebrow raise around Matas Buzelis. Chicago was already playing without most of its starters, with Caleb Wilson and Norman Powell among the few regulars available, yet Buzelis still saw his role cut down after being a notable starter in the rotation.
He logged 17 minutes and scored 7 points, while Tre Jones and Issac Okoro picked up some of the minutes he might have gotten. For a player entering his junior season and averaging 12.0 points and 5.5 rebounds so far, the usage stood out enough to prompt questions, and coach Tiago Splitter framed it as a move aimed at helping the team most in the moment. [Read more 🡒]