Caleb Wilson didn’t waste any time telling Chicago who he is.
Only five games into his NBA career, the former UNC standout is already leaning into the city and the Bulls’ spotlight after Chicago selected him fourth overall in the 2026 NBA Draft. The Bulls needed immediate star power, and Wilson has looked ready from the jump. He opened summer league with a 35-point debut, the highest-scoring first game in franchise history, then carried that momentum into the preseason.
On a recent appearance on Jared Brownidge’s “Link with JB podcast,” Wilson gave Chicago fans four things to keep in mind.
“Number one, Green Bay sucks," Wilson said. "Number two, we’re going to get some good wins and eventually, you guys will think the Chicago Bulls are fire again, if you don’t think so already.
Number three, I don’t like ketchup on my hot dogs anymore. And number four, it’s a great day to be in Chicago.
That’s pretty much it.”
The first line lands the way it should in this city. Green Bay doesn’t even have an NBA team, but the Packers-Bears matchup sits at the center of one of the most familiar rivalries in sports, and Wilson clearly knows the room he’s talking to.
The early production has matched the confidence. Wilson is averaging 20.8 points and seven rebounds per game, both numbers placing him among the Top-50 in his class. He has scored in double figures in every game so far, posted a career-best 30 points in his home debut on October 24, and went over 20 points again Wednesday against the defending NBA champions.
That kind of start fits the profile he built at North Carolina. With Wilson healthy, the Tar Heels were in position to chase a seventh NCAA championship. He finished with 19.8 points and 9.4 rebounds per game, piled up double-doubles, and powered through opponents before an injury at Miami (FL) ended his season before the Duke rematch.
For Wilson, this is the dream taking shape in real time. For Bulls fans, it already looks like they’ve got someone worth watching closely.
In Other News...
UNC Freshman Nyqir Helton May Be Forcing His Way Onto The Field
Nyqir Heltons first career start for North Carolina came against Syracuse, and it was earned the old-fashioned way. The true freshman wide receiver got the nod because of what he had shown in practice, not because of an opening created by someone else, a sign that the Tar Heels are beginning to trust him as more than just a long-term project.
Helton has been building toward this moment through steady work in practice, scout team reps and the programs developmental Sunday Night Football sessions, and the payoff was a career-high 67 snaps. For a young receiver trying to carve out a role, that kind of usage says plenty about where he stands right now, even if his path to a permanent spot is still unfolding. [Read more 🡒]
Tar Heels Have One More Home Test With ACC Stakes Rising
No. 2 Carolinas womens soccer team gets one last chance to protect its home ground when SMU comes to town for the final regular-season game in Chapel Hill. The Tar Heels have turned their home field into a reliable advantage all season, going 8-1 there, and they enter the matchup sitting atop the ACC standings at 6-1 as the pressure around the conference race keeps building.
Bella Devey has been the main finishing threat, leading the team with 16 goals, while Peyton Trayer has anchored things in net with 10 wins. With senior-day type emotions and league positioning both in play, this one offers Carolina a chance to close out its home schedule on a strong note before the bigger tests ahead. [Read more 🡒]
UNC Heads Into No. 1 Miami With A Pressure Point Fans Feel
North Carolina heads into a matchup with No. 1 Miami carrying more than just the usual road-game pressure. The Tar Heels have spent the week trying to steady an offense that has leaned heavily on Drake Edwards Jr., even as his recent struggles have helped fuel losses and put a spotlight on his role moving forward. For a team trying to keep pace in the ACC race, this is the kind of game where every possession feels magnified.
Miami brings the sort of attack that can expose any hesitation, with Darian Mensah directing the offense and Toney giving the Hurricanes another dangerous target on the outside. North Carolinas defense has already shown some cracks against the run and in the secondary, which makes the challenge even steeper as the Tar Heels try to avoid getting stretched on both sides of the ball. However this one unfolds, it has the feel of a game that could sharpen the conversation around where UNC stands right now and where it goes next. [Read more 🡒]