Caleb Wilson should not have played Tuesday night. It was the second straight game of the Summer League. He was the #4 pick in the draft. He’d played well in the first two games. There was nothing left for him to prove. Washington and Utah had already sat A.J. Dybantsa and Darryn Peterson. It was what teams do. However, it wasn’t what Wilson did. He went directly to Chicago Bulls VP of Basketball Operations Bryson Graham, begging him to allow the rookie to play in the third game. His request was granted.
Wilson responded with 19 points, eight rebounds, two assists, and one block in 24 minutes of action. Chicago won the game 99-87. After the final whistle, he was asked why he pushed so hard to play. Part of it was getting a win after two disappointing losses to Memphis and Utah. However, there was another element to it. His description left many there surprised. He just loved to play, and he felt a personal sense of duty to be out there because people paid a lot of money to see him.
Bulls insider K.C. Johnson couldn’t help but feel it was a moment that brought back vivid memories of the G.O.A.T himself.
Caleb Wilson has an old school mentality.
You’ll often find that most NBA players today are more than happy with load management and not having to play every night. They still get paid and don’t deal with the wear and tear on their bodies. Jordan felt a particular disdain for that type of thinking. He wanted to play because he was a competitor and aimed to win every game. However, part of it was also because he understood how important the fans were to his success.
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“You know, I never wanted to miss a game because it was an opportunity to prove (myself). It was something that I felt like the fans are there that watch me play. I want to impress that guy way up on top who probably worked his ass off to get a ticket or to get money to buy the ticket.”
Jordan played in at least 80 games in 11 of his professional seasons between Chicago and Washington. LeBron James, who he’s so often compared to, has done it three times despite playing eight more seasons. There is one other person who shares Wilson’s way of thinking. That was Kobe Bryant.
“People paid their money. I have to play…
…I always feel terrible when I can’t get out there and play. I feel disappointment for the fans when I can’t. If I feel like I can try and give it a go, I think the fans deserve that effort from me.”
This helps reflect how much the game of basketball meant to those men. How seriously they took things. It wasn’t just a job to them. It was their platform to show the world that they were the best at what they did. Wilson is wired the same way. That alone bodes well for his future in Chicago.
Wilson is already showing signs of stardom.
His athleticism and rim-attacking style have already been on display. The biggest shock is how smooth his shooting motion has become, reflected in his solid 3-point percentage. There are still areas he must work on. His free throw shooting has been a consistent sore spot. Still, his offensive potential and defensive mentality have both lived up to the hype. The scariest part of all this is that Wilson has more potential than either Jordan or Bryant did when they got to the NBA.
Both of them were 6’6″ guards. Caleb Wilson is a 6’9″ forward. He could be either of them in a bigger body with the same athleticism. Terrifying to think about. Does that mean he’s destined for greatness? Of course not. Nothing is guaranteed in this league. The trick will be maintaining that relentless drive to succeed. As long as he maintains the right perspective, things should work out. If Wilson becomes even 75% of the player Jordan was, the Bulls are in for a ride.
