Caleb Wilson’s first NBA dunk gave Bulls fans the kind of jolt they were waiting for, even in a game that was going badly in Toronto.
Chicago opened the season north of the border against the Raptors on Wednesday, and it doubled as the official debut for the No. 4 pick, who is being viewed as the franchise player. The Bulls were outmatched for much of the night, but Wilson still found a moment to break through late in the second quarter.
With less than two minutes left, Norman Powell drove to the basket and drew a double team before kicking the ball out to Wilson, who was left alone. Wilson finished the play with a two-handed slam for his first NBA dunk.
That kind of burst is exactly why Chicago is pinning so much hope on him. After six seasons of stagnation, the Bulls overhauled things this offseason by bringing in Bryson Graham to run the front office and Tiago Splitter to coach the team. They also drafted Wilson out of the University of North Carolina.
Wilson’s profile is built on size, length, athleticism, and physicality, and the Bulls are banking on that toolkit to help signal a new direction. He’s already flashed that upside in the preseason grind leading into opening night.
In Summer League, Wilson earned All-Summer League First Team honors after averaging 23.5 points, 7.3 rebounds, 2.5 blocks, and 1.3 steals per game. He followed that with a preseason in which he put up 15.8 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 2.8 assists per game while shooting 44.1% from the field and 31% from 3-point range.
By the time this was published, the Bulls were down 103-71 to the Raptors after three quarters. Wilson had 10 points and 6 turnovers.
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