The Chicago Bulls might have stumbled onto something real. Caleb Wilson, the No. 4 pick in this year’s draft, walked into his first NBA Summer League game Friday and dropped 35 points on the Memphis Grizzlies. The Bulls lost 97-96, but that box score was impossible to ignore.
Wilson shot 7-of-11 from three, grabbed 5 rebounds, swiped 2 steals and blocked 3 shots. It was the kind of debut that makes you double-check the stat sheet. The NBA’s official account posted the numbers. The Bulls’ own social media called it a monster debut. And fans? They went nuts.
One person on X already called him Rookie of the Year. Another said Wilson moves like a springboard off the floor — that quick-twitch explosiveness that can’t be taught. A fan named @WeTalknYamz pointed out what this could mean for Josh Giddey, the Bulls’ young point guard who’s still figuring things out. Having a shooter and finisher like Wilson alongside him could open up a lot of space.
Some fans were already worried about how little we might see of him in Vegas. Summer League usually limits stars after a game or two if they dominate like this. @BullsDistrictYT posted that they were hyped but also sad it might only be one more game. That’s the weird tension of Summer League: you want to see your guy cook, but you also don’t want him risking anything.
Another fan summed it up simply: Chicago finally found someone who likes buckets.
Wilson himself didn’t get caught up in the numbers. That’s the part that’s been consistent through his college career and now into pro ball. He talked about the game, not his stat line. Mature, locked in, the same work ethic people have been praising since before the draft.
The Bulls are back in action Monday against the Utah Jazz at the Thomas and Mack Center in Las Vegas. Tip-off is at 7 p.m. CST. If Wilson plays anywhere close to how he did Friday, that gym is going to be loud.
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