Caleb Wilson wasted no time reminding people why he went No. 4 overall.
The former North Carolina star put together his first career NBA double-double in the Chicago Bulls’ 124-120 loss to the Washington Wizards, finishing with 21 points and 14 rebounds in 38 minutes. He led all scorers in the game, hit 10 field goals, and got to the line often enough to knock down nine of 11 free throws. The only rough spot in the shooting line was beyond the arc, where he went 1-for-9.
The rebound total stood out just as much as the scoring. Wilson’s 14 boards tied Wizards big man Justin Champagnie for the game high, and it was a major jump from the 10 rebounds he had combined over his first two NBA games. After playing 32 minutes in his debut and 33 in his second outing, he logged even more run in this one and made the most of it.
Wilson had already shown he could bounce back quickly. His debut came with a brutal plus/minus, but he answered in game 2 with 21 points in a 132-125 win over the Milwaukee Bucks. Three games into his pro career, the production is already piling up.
Through those first three games, Wilson is averaging 22.3 points, 8.0 rebounds, 2.0 steals, 1.3 assists and 1.3 blocks per game. He also cleaned up one of the biggest issues from opening night: after turning it over nine times in his NBA debut, he had zero turnovers against Washington.
That’s an encouraging sign for the 6-foot-9 forward, especially considering what he did in his lone season at UNC. Wilson posted 11 double-doubles for the Tar Heels, averaged 19.8 points and 9.4 rebounds, and now he’s already checked off the same milestone in the NBA.
The Bulls are 1-2 after going 1-1 in their first back-to-back of the season. They’ll get a day off before heading to Boston to face the Celtics on Monday, Oct. 26.
In Other News...
UNC Left Stewing Over Costly Collapse Before Huge Miami Test
North Carolina walked away from Syracuse with a 31-30 overtime loss that stung in every possible way, because it was there more than once for the taking. The Tar Heels led by 10 points in both halves, then built a seven-point cushion in overtime, only to watch the Orange keep hanging around until the final play flipped everything with a game-winning 2-point conversion.
For Bill Belichick and a UNC team heading into a huge matchup with Miami, the frustration was rooted in what the film will show: missed chances in the red zone and too many lapses in basic defensive execution. The loss left the Tar Heels stewing over how a game they controlled in stretches slipped away, and it makes the next one feel even bigger. [Read more 🡒]
UNC Has A Fascinating Frontcourt Question With Alex Samodurov
Alex Samodurov has arrived in Chapel Hill with a rsum that already looks different from most first-year frontcourt pieces. The 6-foot-11 forward from Greece comes to North Carolina after playing professionally for Panathinaikos, and his background includes international seasoning as well as a bronze medal at the 2025 senior EuroBasket. In the exhibition against USC, he gave a glimpse of what he might add, with rebounds and a three-pointer hinting at a skill set that could fit in more than one way.
Now the real question for UNC is how quickly that experience translates to the college game and where Samodurov fits in the frontcourt mix. The staff is still sorting out his role, which makes him one of the more intriguing variables on the roster as the Tar Heels look for reliable minutes inside and around the basket. His ceiling is easy to see, but the timeline for getting there is still part of the story. [Read more 🡒]
UNC Let A Needed Win Slip Away In Brutal Fashion
UNC had a chance to put a much-needed win in the books and spent most of the afternoon in position to do it, only to watch the game tilt late and turn into an overtime gut punch. The Tar Heels led for much of the contest, got a touchdown from Jordan Shipp, and seemed to have enough to finish the job before Syracuse surged with 13 points in the fourth quarter and forced the extra session after a missed extra point.
What made it sting even more was how many openings were there to close it out. Syracuse answered with a long catch-and-run from Umari Hatcher, UNC could not fully cash in on chances to regain control, and a game that had leaned the Tar Heels' way slipped into a 31-30 loss. For a team trying to steady itself, it was the kind of defeat that lingers because the win was there to be taken. [Read more 🡒]