A week after hearing his name called in the first round of the 2026 NBA Draft, Dailyn Swain is still carrying the kind of moment that sticks with a player forever - and, in his case, a family story that made the whole thing hit even harder.
Swain went to the Chicago Bulls after being selected in the first round, and the former Texas guard handled the usual draft-night ritual: he put on the Chicago hat, shook hands with NBA Commissioner Adam Silver, and then stepped to the microphone to explain what the night meant to him.
When he started talking, he quickly turned to the person he credited most for getting him there.
"My mother for sure," Swain said on who he credits for where he is today. "I always talk about how much she's sacrificed for me, but there's a story that pops right up in my head..."
That story came from a move years ago, when Swain said he had been in a little trouble and was hiding under his bed. Before they left, he wrote "I was going to the NBA" on the wall. His mother saw it after they moved out and gave him a response that landed with perfect timing.
"You better go to the NBA because I have to pay for that," Swain's mother said when she saw the note.
Swain’s path to Chicago has already included another familiar face from the draft. The Bulls took two rookies in the first round, pairing Swain with North Carolina forward Caleb Wilson, who was selected fourth overall. Swain went 15th.
The two have wasted no time settling in. They’ve already made their way to Chicago and started stacking up the kind of rookie memories that come with a new city and a fresh start.
Swain said the focus is still on keeping the work in front of him.
"Just try and enjoy the moment. You only go through this process once, so living it day by day, but also keep the main thing the main thing and get this program going the right way," Swain said during his introductory press conference for the Bulls.
"Start off in Summer League; that's an everyday thing. It started yesterday; me and Caleb got in the gym.
So just trying to stay focused."
The off-court sightseeing has been part of the fun, too. Swain and Wilson have been taking boat cruises along the river, stopping by the Bean statue, and posing for photos atop skyscrapers.
They also picked their jersey numbers, with Swain choosing No. 5 and Wilson going with No. 8.
"We're here to be winners," Wilson said during his introductory press conference. "Set the tone for the culture of this team."
Both rookies will get their first run in the NBA Summer League before eventually suiting up for the Bulls when the regular season begins next fall. For now, though, it’s all about the ride - and Swain’s draft-night story is the kind that explains why the moment meant so much.
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