Kathryn Sears
The Chicago Bulls have officially touched down in Las Vegas ahead of their Summer League opener against the Memphis Grizzlies on Friday night.
While expectations may not be all that high for them in 2026-27, the same can’t be said about the next couple of weeks. The organization’s new brain trust brought in both Caleb Wilson and Dailyn Swain – two very highly-touted prospects – in the 2026 NBA Draft. Wilson, in particular, is widely seen as a potential franchise cornerstone. The journey to proving he deserves that status begins with these exhibition games.
Does that mean any noticeable struggles should sound loud alarm bells? Of course not. But there is no question that many are expecting to see flashes of brilliance, especially in the wake of what Wilson’s new head coach and teammate had to say.
Caleb Wilson Already Earning High Praise
Caleb Wilson didn’t need much time at all to impress his new squad.
Starting Summer League practice earlier this week, it sounds like the forward turned plenty of heads. Tiago Splitter was promptly asked about how the rookie looked in his first conversation with reporters, and the new head coach gave a glowing review.
“Of course, the size and the athletic ability is special,” Splitter said. “It’s something you don’t see very often. Of course, he has got stuff to work on and get better. He’s going to get strong and more balanced and all that. But he’s a really, really special kid.”
To be sure, it’s wise for Splitter to hype up his new centerpiece, especially this early in the developmental process. But Splitter also hasn’t come off as someone who’s all that easy to impress. Heck, both Wilson and Dailyn Swain noted how serious the former Trail Blazers leader has been. It’s also not as if Splitter was raving about every player on the roster, as he gave a far more tamed review of Noa Essengue that same day.
Swain was also quick to sing Wilson’s praises. To little surprise, he made mention of Wilson’s explosiveness, but it was simply the 19-year-old’s well-roundedness that really stood out.
“Everyone highlights his athleticism, which is generational,” Swain said. “But he can do a lot of things. He’s really good at facing up at the elbow, jabbing. He’s got a really good mid-range shot. He’s been knocking down threes. He is widening his arsenal, so he’s going to be great.”
Swain specifically mentioning Wilson’s jump-shooting certainly feels meaningful. This was easily the biggest question for Wilson coming into the draft, as the Tar Heel standout wasn’t asked to do much from behind the arc. However, Wilson’s shooting form at the combine erased some concerns, and Swain fully expects his teammate to continue to do that.
“It looks good,” Swain said of Wilson’s shooting chops. “He’s confident, and he puts the work in. He’s going to continue to put the work in. We come in here every night. We get in here all the time, so he’s only going to get better as a shooter, but he’s already great.”
All things considered, these are the exact reviews you want from your head coach and fellow first-round pick just a couple of weeks into your NBA tenure. No one is trying to argue that Wilson doesn’t have a long road ahead of him. There will be both highs and lows along the way. However, Wilson was brought to Chicago to be their next star, and it sounds like those around him already believe he can step into that role.
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Kathryn is the main contributor to the quiz section of LaDailyGazette.com. If you have an idea for a quiz, let us know.