Well, it happened. Despite attempts to fuel the rumor mill, the top four picks of the 2026 NBA draft unfolded exactly as most predicted. A.J. Dybantsa, Darryl Peterson, and Cameron Boozer went 1, 2, 3. That left the Chicago Bulls in a position to select North Carolina forward Caleb Wilson with the 4th overall pick. While considered more raw than the other three prospects, the general feeling is that Wilson is the most dynamic athlete in the entire class. Some say he’s the most explosive to come out of college in years.
The flashes from his lone season with the Tarheels were many. It is staggering how high his upside is. Wilson certainly isn’t afraid of the pressure. He immediately acknowledged Michael Jordan as the G.O.A.T, but made it clear his intention is to be the greatest ever. Like Jordan, he excels at attacking the rim and playing intense defense. Developing a consistent shooting stroke is the goal. So who are the Bulls getting if everything comes together? One NBA scout raised the bar sky-high, according to ESPN.
Caleb Wilson has Kevin Garnett 2.0 written all over him.
Scout’s take: Wilson jumps off the screen with his athleticism, and he had plenty of eye-catching plays during his lone season at North Carolina. That, coupled with a magnetic personality, led one scout to compare him to Hall of Famer Kevin Garnett as a potential high-end outcome. Though they immediately added, “That’s also not fair to him, or anyone, to make that kind of comparison.”
Siakam was also mentioned as a potential comp. Siakam can also get in the open floor with the ball, has a very high motor and has turned into an outstanding pro. Wilson, though, is coming into the NBA as a younger player with higher upside.
This is not a small thing.
Younger fans may not remember how incredibly dominant Garnett was in the 2000s. We’re talking about a 15-time All-Star, 12-time All-Defense, 9-time All-NBA, league MVP, and NBA champion. He has a case for being the greatest power forward in league history and made the Minnesota Timberwolves a relevant franchise for the first time in their history. At his peak, he averaged 20 points, 8 rebounds, 4 assists, and 2 blocks while being one of the best defenders in the sport.
That is who experts believe the Bulls may have with Caleb Wilson. Now you can understand why there is genuine excitement. This isn’t just an elite athlete. Wilson comes in with a quality work ethic and magnetic charisma. He has all the traits of a franchise cornerstone that you can build around. Putting him in the hands of new head coach Tiago Splitter is also great. The man played forward himself for many years and served as teammates for some of the best ever to play, including Tim Duncan.
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Nobody stands to benefit more from Wilson than Josh Giddey.
While Garnett elevated plenty of teammates during his time in the NBA, it always seemed to be the point guards who benefited the most. Sam Cassel made his only All-Star game while playing with him in Minnesota. Rajon Rondo made all four of his All-Star appearances as his teammate in Boston. Having such a big, physical specimen drawing attention from the defense makes life so much easier for the point guard. If Wilson develops along that same path as Garnett, then Giddey could soon see his own star rise.
That might explain why the Bulls haven’t traded him despite the rumors. They want somebody who can feed Wilson and Matas Buzelis on offense. The vision of what Bulls VP of Basketball Ops Bryson Graham wants is coming into focus. We have no real idea what Wilson will become. All we know is he has some of the highest potential seen in a prospect in years. If he can learn the game at a more complete level, the results will terrify the rest of the Eastern Conference.
