Caleb Wilson has already put himself in the center of the 2026 NBA draft conversation, and NBA general managers seem to believe he belongs right near the top of it.
In John Schuhmann’s NBA.com survey, GMs put Wilson in the same class as AJ Dybantsa when it comes to projecting the best NBA players over the next five years. Wilson and Dybantsa each landed at 33% in that category, while Cameron Boozer checked in at 23% and Darryn Peterson at 10%. Last year, Cooper Flagg, who won Rookie of the Year this past season, was at 93%, and Evan Mobley sat at 33% five years ago.
The rookie race tells a different story. For Rookie of the Year, Schuhmann’s survey had Boozer at 50%, with Wilson second at 20%, Dybantsa third at 17%, and Peterson fourth at 13%. A year ago, Flagg was ranked at 97% in that same category.
Wilson has backed up the buzz early. He stood out in the NBA Summer League, posting 23.5 points, 7.3 rebounds, 1.3 steals, and 2.5 blocks per game, which earned him All-Summer League First Team honors.
He has kept it rolling in the preseason, averaging 15.8 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 2.3 assists while helping carry some of the load as the Bulls work through a gradual rebuild.
Whatever the future holds, the expectation around Wilson is loud and clear.
The Bulls will host the Washington Wizards on October 24 in their home opener, setting up the first head-to-head meeting between Wilson and Dybantsa.
In Other News...
Former Bulls Guard Now Faces A Brutal Question About His NBA Future
Rob Dillingham entered the league with plenty of buzz after a strong season at Kentucky and the kind of draft pedigree that usually buys a young guard time to grow. Instead, the former top prospect has found the NBA far less forgiving, as concerns about his size and defensive limitations have made it hard for him to stick, even after being taken eighth overall by Minnesota in the 2024 draft.
Rafael Barlowe and other scouts have started to revisit the evaluation process itself, wondering whether Dillingham was overrated coming out or whether the league is simply less willing these days to wait on young guards to figure it out. For Chicago fans tracking old roster connections and the wider draft landscape, it is a reminder of how quickly a promising name can slip from centerpiece to question mark when teams decide the development window has already closed. [Read more 🡒]
Patrick Williams Debate Just Got Even Worse For The Bulls
The Patrick Williams discussion around the Bulls has never really gone away, and the backdrop only makes it tougher. Chicago took Williams with the No. 4 pick in the 2020 NBA Draft, then backed up that bet with a four-year, $80 million extension that was supposed to cement him as a core piece. Instead, his development has been uneven enough that the contract now sits alongside the franchises other major long-term decisions, including the expensive Lonzo Ball sign-and-trade that was derailed by injuries.
Patrick Williams is not just being judged on what he has done, but on who was available when Chicago made the call. Tyrese Haliburton has become a two-time All-Star and an All-NBA honoree, which only sharpens the contrast for a Bulls team that also has had to live with limited flexibility because of Williams deal. The latest reminder is less about one players struggles than about how much that draft choice still shapes the organizations present, and how much harder it is to move forward when the alternate path has become so obvious. [Read more 🡒]
Bulls Opener Suddenly Hinges On Two Crucial Injury Questions
The Bulls preseason injury ledger has grown crowded in the frontcourt, and the timing is less than ideal with the regular season approaching. Zach Collins has been dealing with a quad issue, Nic Claxton has been working through a hamstring strain, and Chicago has also had to monitor Tobe Awaka and Isaac Okoro on the knee front while backup point guard Tre Jones has already made it back from a hip injury.
What makes the situation tricky is that the opener could depend on how quickly the big-man rotation settles over the next few days. Collins is trending toward a return soon and could be available for the start of the season, but Claxtons status remains the bigger question, leaving the Bulls with at least one significant frontcourt uncertainty as they try to get through the final stretch of preseason without more setbacks. [Read more 🡒]