Caleb Wilson entered the 2026 NBA Summer League with a lot of expectations attached to his name. The Chicago Bulls selected him with the No. 4 overall pick, and he answered the spotlight with a 35-point debut against the Memphis Grizzlies. While the Grizzlies ultimately won the game, Wilson’s scoring outburst ignited a buzz that many fans say hasn’t been felt in Chicago since Derrick Rose first arrived.
Bulls executive vice president of basketball operations Bryson Graham was already convinced of Wilson’s upside after a private workout last month. Graham described the rookie as a “special player with an ‘it’ factor,” a phrase that now seems to echo through the corridors of the Wynn Hotel where most of the league is staying. The Bulls’ front office sees Wilson as a potential franchise cornerstone, and his first game has begun to justify that optimism.
Wilson himself kept a measured tone after the performance. “It’s hard not to notice but my goal isn’t to please everyone else, it’s to please myself, so I’m not complacent or feel like I really accomplished anything,” he said following a Sunday practice. He added that the Summer League game was just a stepping stone and that the praise from established stars didn’t change his focus. “Everyone is staying at this hotel so I’ve talked to a lot of people like Jalen (Brunson), Kevin Durant ... them just telling me good job, keep it up,” Wilson recalled, underscoring the respect he’s already receiving from elite players.
The reaction from his new teammates was equally enthusiastic. Freshman forward Matas Buzelis was heard asking a reporter, “What was that? Was that real?” after Wilson’s display. Veteran Norman Powell, who watched the game from the courtside seats alongside Buzelis, Josh Giddey and Jalen Smith, praised Wilson’s maturity and energy. “I’m super excited to get in contact with him and just watching him play, he seemed just so mature and fluid in his game,” Powell said. He highlighted a specific moment when Wilson’s behind-the-back pass was stolen, yet the rookie hustled back down the court to finish a highlight-reel block, a play that summed up his relentless effort on both ends.
The Bulls now have a fresh narrative to build around a player who has already generated a level of excitement not seen since the Rose era. The real test will come as Summer League continues and the regular season arrives. Consistency on offense, decision-making under pressure, and the ability to sustain the defensive intensity that Powell admired will determine whether Wilson’s “rockstar” buzz translates into a lasting cornerstone for Chicago.
