The Bulls didn’t get the start they wanted, but Caleb Wilson wasted no time setting the tone for what comes next.
Chicago opened the season with a 43-point loss to the Toronto Raptors on Wednesday, then bounced back Friday with a 132-125 win over the Milwaukee Bucks. That was the Bulls’ first victory of the year, and it also gave Wilson his first NBA win.
Wilson finished with 21 points and six rebounds against Milwaukee, then followed it up with a statement afterward.
“I'm going to be the most focused and most detailed player ever,” Wilson said. “It's time to work.”
That kind of confidence has been part of the package since Wilson arrived in Chicago. People around the team see the work ethic and maturity, and the expectation is obvious: he’s being counted on to help drive a rebuilding franchise forward.
Wilson was solid in his NBA debut against the Raptors, putting up 16 points and four rebounds, though he also committed nine turnovers.
His preseason gave a glimpse of what Chicago hoped to see. In five games, Wilson averaged 15.8 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 2.8 assists as the Bulls went 3-2.
Now at 1-1, Chicago turns to its first home game Saturday night against the Washington Wizards at the United Center. That matchup will also be the first meeting between Wilson and AJ Dybantsa, the No. 1 draft pick.
Wilson was selected No. 4 in June after coming out of the University of North Carolina.
In Other News...
Bulls First Win Showed Exactly How This Rebuild May Be Coached
The Bulls first win of the season came with a reminder that this rebuild may be shaped as much by coaching instincts as by raw talent. Against the Bucks, Tiago Splitter leaned into his bench and got meaningful production from Leonard Miller, Tre Jones and Caleb Wilson, while the group around them looked more connected than it had in the opener. Chicagos 1-1 start is still just a snapshot, but the way the roster was managed stood out as much as the result itself.
Splitters willingness to trust reserves over more established names like Josh Giddey and Matas Buzelis gave the game a different feel, especially as the Bulls settled in and found a better rhythm. It also suggested a coach willing to make tough calls early in the process, which matters for a young team trying to sort out roles and identity. Whether that approach holds up as the schedule tightens is the next question, but for one night it worked. [Read more 🡒]
Bulls Home Opener Comes With An Early AJ Dybantsa Concern
The Bulls home opener against the Washington Wizards arrives with an early dose of caution around AJ Dybantsa, their No. 1 overall pick. Dybantsa has been ruled out because of an ankle injury, extending a wait that has kept him sidelined through the start of the season as Chicago takes a measured approach with a player who has not yet made his official NBA debut.
Noa Essengue is at least trending in the right direction, listed as probable despite a right head contusion, giving the Bulls some hope of having another piece available for the opener. Chicago is also dealing with absences on the other side of the matchup, with Nic Claxton and Tristan Vukcevic both out, but the bigger long-term question for the Bulls remains when Dybantsa will finally be ready to step on the floor. [Read more 🡒]
Bulls Miss Out On A Debut Fans Wanted To See
AJ Dybantsa will not make his NBA debut against the Bulls after the Wizards announced the No. 1 overall pick is out with a left ankle sprain. The injury has already kept him sidelined for three straight games, and Washington has continued to label him day-to-day as the rookie works his way back from the issue he picked up in the final preseason game.
For Bulls fans hoping to get an early look at one of the leagues most closely watched newcomers, the wait goes on. Chicago will have to keep tracking Dybantsa from afar for now, and the uncertainty around his return leaves the matchup without the kind of rookie spotlight that had been building around it. [Read more 🡒]