Former UNC standout Caleb Wilson turned in another strong night for the Chicago Bulls on Monday, and one moment involving Boston Celtics forward Paul George gave the performance extra buzz.
Chicago took the loss to Boston, but Wilson still put together a line that stood out: 17 points, five rebounds and three assists in 32 minutes. He shot 7-of-15 from the field, 1-of-5 from 3-point range and 2-of-4 at the free-throw line.
The rookie has been rolling early with the Bulls. Through this point, Wilson is averaging 21.0 points, 7.3 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game while shooting 41.9% overall, 17.9% from deep and 73.9% from the foul line.
Wilson’s development has already drawn attention well beyond Chicago. Before his rookie season, he spent time training with NBA icon LeBron James over the summer and received mental tips from him as well. The two share representation through Rich Paul and Klutch Sports Group.
The Bulls are getting a player who already arrived with major college credentials. Wilson played 24 games for UNC last season and averaged 19.8 points, 9.4 rebounds and 2.7 assists while shooting 57.8% from the field, 25.9% from 3 and 71.3% from the free-throw line.
He was also named a second-team Associated Press All-American, which will ensure his jersey is included among the honored jerseys in the Smith Center rafters.
His college season came with some bumps. On Feb.
10, Wilson broke a bone in his left hand while trying to block a shot and landing hard. Then on March 5, he fractured his right thumb when he struck the rim during a practice drill.
Even with that injury history, Wilson has looked healthy to start his NBA career.
There’s also a deeper Bulls connection here. Chicago drafted UNC legend Michael Jordan with the third overall pick in the 1984 draft, and Jordan went on to become the most decorated figure in franchise history with five MVPs, six championships, six Finals MVPs, 10 scoring titles and one Defensive Player of the Year award. He’s also first all-time in regular-season and playoff scoring average, owns the NBA record for the most points in a playoff game with 63, went 6-0 in the Finals and helped the Bulls three-peat twice in the ’90s.
That backdrop makes Wilson’s arrival in Chicago feel even more fitting, and with LeBron now back in the East this season playing for the Philadelphia 76ers, the two are scheduled to see each other a few times.
LeBron’s résumé remains massive: he leads NBA history in points, field goals, games and minutes, is the only player to rank top five all-time in both points and assists, the only one to win three Finals MVPs with three different teams, and the only player with 40,000 points, 10,000 rebounds and 10,000 career assists. He’s also the only player to reach 50,000 total points across the regular season and playoffs.
The Bulls have not reached the playoffs since 2022 and are expected to miss them again this season, but Wilson gives them a young piece worth building around.
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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 🡒]