LAS VEGAS — Caleb Wilson walked off the court at the Thomas & Mack Center on Friday night with a record that nobody in NBA Summer League history has ever matched. He didn’t care.
The No. 4 pick out of North Carolina erupted for 35 points in his first professional game with the Chicago Bulls. That’s the most points any player has ever scored in a Summer League debut. But when a reporter told him about the record, the rookie’s response was exactly what you’d hope for from a franchise cornerstone: “We lost.”
Wilson shot 12-for-22 from the floor and knocked down 7 of 11 three-pointers. He also grabbed 5 rebounds, blocked 3 shots and came up with 2 steals. His first bucket as a pro was a three. And then he just kept going.
The Bulls still lost to the Memphis Grizzlies 97-96.
“That’s my goal, to come here and win,” Wilson told K.C. Johnson of The Chicago Sports Network. “Of course it’s cool. Somebody going to break it one day. They always do. I’m happy I got the record and am prepared to move on to what’s next. We’ve got another game coming up really soon.”
The record doesn’t mean much to him
Wilson had a pretty simple self-assessment. Before anyone mentioned the scoring mark, he brought up his own mistakes. Too many turnovers. Missed boxouts. He knew where the game got away from Chicago.
That kind of accountability is part of why the Bulls took him fourth overall. He spent one season at North Carolina and averaged 19.8 points and 9.4 boards while showing the kind of two-way versatility that teams dream on. He’s athletic. He’s physical. And by all accounts, he works like someone who hasn’t arrived yet.
The Bulls have been searching for a player like this for a while. Someone who can handle being the face of the franchise without acting like he’s already made it.
Next up for Chicago
Wilson and the Bulls don’t have much time to dwell on a one-point loss. They’re back on the floor Monday against the Utah Jazz. And if Friday was any indication, the rookie will be hunting a win a lot harder than he’ll be chasing another stat line.
The Summer League debut record is his now. It’ll probably be someone else’s eventually. That’s fine with him. He’s got a loss to make up for.
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