The Chicago Bulls haven't had a true franchise-caliber player since Derrick Rose. Jimmy Butler came pretty close to that, but he wasn't there long enough to earn that distinction, and he didn't necessarily leave on the best of terms.
Now, after years of being stuck in mediocrity, terrible trades, and misfortune in the NBA Draft lottery, they can finally end the drought. The No. 4 pick gives them a chance to land a true blue-chip prospect in this stacked draft, and whoever lands in their lap will be someone worthy of building around.
However, of all the prospects, Caleb Wilson has been the most tied to the Bulls. He knows that, and he's gone the extra mile to make sure the team knows he wants to be in Chicago. Weeks after dropping some Michael Jordan references, the UNC product endeared himself to the Bulls again:
"I'm a winner. I'm going to change that culture. I'm going to bring it back to what it was, for sure. It's a great pipeline – North Carolina to Chicago. Keep it going," Wilson said (h/t Jay Hardy)
Caleb Wilson wants to be a Chicago Bull
The last thing any young player should want is to put himself in Michael Jordan conversations. Those shoes are impossible to fill, and that's just a massive cross to bear. That said, he can definitely be a difference-maker in Chicago.
Wilson turned heads in his lone season at Chapel Hill, leaving averages of 19.8 points, 9.4 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 1.5 steals, and 1.4 blocks per game in 24 appearances before a thumb injury got him on street clothes for the remainder of the season.
He stands 6-foot-10 with a 7-foot wingspan, though he'll probably grow more. However, while his physical attributes are remarkable, his aggressiveness and violent nature on both sides of the glass show shades of a high-flying Kevin Garnett, and the type of competitive freak the city will love.
The Bulls are in a privileged position. Whether they get Wilson, Cameron Boozer, A.J. Dybantsa, or Darryn Peterson, they will find a building block to kick off a new era at the United Center. The board will work itself, and the top-3 teams will ultimately decide for themselves.
But if, as expected, they do end up with Wilson, it's nice to know that he's setting such a high bar for himself. More importantly, it's refreshing to see a young man so committed to building a legacy and being embraced by the team and the city. Of course, all rookies will always say all the right things with P.R.-trained answers and whatnot, but it's pretty clear that following that UNC-Chicago pipeline means a bit more to him.
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