Caleb Wilson Dropped 54 Points in Two Games. His Free Throws Are a Complete Mystery.

The Chicago Bulls rookie is scoring at a clip that would make most lottery picks jealous. Through his first two Summer League appearances, Caleb Wilson has 54 points. He’s hitting threes off the dribble, attacking the rim, and drawing fouls like a guy who has been in the league for years.

But something weird is happening when the whistle blows and the clock stops.

Wilson has taken 12 free throws in Las Vegas. He has made two of them. In Monday’s game against the Utah Jazz, he went 0-for-6 from the line. That’s not a typo. Zero makes on six attempts. And when a reporter asked Wilson what was going on, the No. 3 overall pick in the 2026 draft gave an honest answer that didn’t offer much clarity.

“I do not know why I’m missing free throws. Sometimes that just happens. I try not to let it frustrate me because I know I am going to get to the free throw line. I draw a lot of fouls. All I can do is come out tomorrow and just be better,” Wilson said.

Pressed on whether the feel of the ball changes from shot to shot, Wilson suggested the issue might be rhythm-related. “I feel like I’m a rhythm shooter,” he said. “That’s why I’m so good shooting off the dribble. So the free throw line is different because it is set.”

Nothing else seems broken

For what it’s worth, the rest of his offensive game looks ready for the next level. Wilson’s Summer League debut against Memphis was a 35-point, 5-rebound, 3-block, 2-steal outing where he shot 7-of-11 from three. He’s a multi-level scorer who can rise over defenders or step back and knock down pull-ups. Against the Jazz he added 19 points and 8 boards while going 3-of-8 from deep. Two nights of evidence suggest the outside shooting is real.

It’s just the stationary, uncontested 15-footers that are giving him trouble.

The Bulls aren’t panicking

Nobody in the Chicago front office is sweating an early Summer League stat line. Free throw struggles for rookies are common enough that teams rarely sound alarms over them. Wilson’s ability to get to the line in the first place is a positive sign — it means he’s aggressive, he’s drawing contact, and he’s putting pressure on defenses. The conversion rate will come, or at least that’s the bet the Bulls are making.

Wilson gets another shot Tuesday when the Bulls face the Jazz again. He seems loose about the whole thing. He’s aware the number looks bad. But he also knows he has two more weeks of Summer League to figure it out. And given how quickly he’s adjusted to NBA speed in almost every other area, it wouldn’t be shocking if the free throws start falling just as fast.