Caleb Wilson’s first four NBA games have already delivered one clear concern for the Chicago Bulls: the three-ball just isn’t falling.
The No. 4 pick has brought plenty to like in his first stretch of pro action, but his transition to Chicago has hit a rough patch from deep. Through four games, Wilson is only 5-for-28 from three-point range, a glaring number for a player trying to expand his game at the NBA level.
That’s a sharp drop from what he showed at North Carolina, where the 6-foot-9 forward went 7-for-27 from beyond the arc across his college career. The sample there was small, but the gap is still impossible to miss: 27 college threes over 24 games, then 28 attempts in just four NBA contests. Right now, a 17.85% clip simply isn’t going to cut it.
Wilson’s debut hinted that the adjustment would take time. He went 7-for-21 from the floor in that first game and hit just 1 of 8 tries from three.
Since then, the pattern has stayed the same, with the biggest issue showing up in the volume of those long-range attempts. His third career NBA game was the clearest example, when he hoisted nine threes and connected on only one.
There has been enough elsewhere in his stat line to keep the Bulls encouraged. He’s been making a good majority of his free throws and contributing in other ways, which is why the shooting issue stands out even more.
Wilson’s background only adds to the contrast. A year ago, he was part of a North Carolina team that went 24-9 and started 13-1. Now he’s in the middle of a much harsher reality check, though he’s still only 20 years old and just getting started.
On Monday, Oct. 26, Wilson posted 17 points, five rebounds, three assists, two blocks and a steal in Chicago’s 134-99 loss to the Boston Celtics.
For the Bulls, the challenge is clear: Wilson can do enough in other areas to help, but until the three-point shot stabilizes, this remains the one obvious wrinkle in his opening act.
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The search for a replacement is already underway, with former Michigan GM Sean Magee helping consult on the process. What makes the next hire especially interesting is the possibility that the role could be built to report to both athletic director Steve Newmark and head coach Bill Belichick, a structure that would say a lot about how much influence Belichick is expected to wield in Chapel Hill and how UNC wants its football operation to function moving forward. [Read more 🡒]
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UNC Misses On Five-Star As This Recruitment Slipped Away Fast
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For the Tar Heels, the miss adds another layer to a rivalry that tends to show up in the recruiting lanes long before it ever reaches the court. Dukes class keeps building around top-end talent, while UNC now has to keep pressing ahead with other targets and make up ground elsewhere in a cycle where every high-end decision matters. [Read more 🡒]