The Chicago Bulls got bad news on Thursday: former UNC star Caleb Wilson fractured his right hand on Wednesday against the San Antonio Spurs and will need surgery.
Wilson is expected to be re-evaluated in three weeks, and the timeline could keep him out 4-6 weeks.
The injury comes after a strong season at North Carolina. Wilson played in 24 games last year and put up 19.8 points, 9.4 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game while shooting 57.8% from the field, 25.9% from 3-point range and 71.3% from the free-throw line.
His work at UNC earned him second-team Associated Press All-American honors, which will secure his place among the honored jerseys in the Smith Center rafters.
Wilson’s hand trouble has piled up before reaching the NBA. On Feb. 10, he broke a bone in his left hand after trying to block a shot and landing on the floor. Then on March 5, he fractured his right thumb when he hit the rim during a practice drill.
Chicago’s connection to UNC history is a deep one. The Bulls drafted UNC legend Michael Jordan with the third overall pick in the 1984 draft. Jordan is widely regarded as the greatest basketball player of all time, with five MVPs, six championships, six Finals MVPs, 10 scoring titles and one Defensive Player of the Year during his Bulls career.
Jordan also sits first all-time in regular-season and playoff points per game, owns the NBA record for most points in a playoff game with 63, and went 6-0 in the NBA Finals while leading Chicago to two separate three-peats in the ’90s.
Wilson also got guidance from another all-time great before his rookie season. He trained with LeBron James over the summer, and James offered him mental tips ahead of his first year with the Bulls. Both are represented by Rich Paul of Klutch Sports Group.
LeBron, meanwhile, is first in NBA history in points, field goals, games and minutes. He is the only player to rank in the top five all-time in both points and assists, the only player to win three Finals MVPs with three different teams, the only player with 40,000 points, 10,000 rebounds and 10,000 assists, and the only player to reach 50,000 combined points in the regular season and playoffs.
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