Caleb Wilson and Dailyn Swain haven’t even played their first NBA Summer League game yet, but they’ve already got a taste of Chicago’s sports scene. The Bulls’ two first-round picks threw out ceremonial first pitches before Tuesday’s White Sox game against the Red Sox at Guaranteed Rate Field.
It’s something of a tradition around here. Matas Buzelis, Coby White, Daniel Gafford and Denzel Valentine all did the same thing when they were rookies. The White Sox posted video of both guys on social media, and they looked comfortable enough on the mound — even if their real work starts next week.
Summer League Debuts Coming Up Fast
Wilson and Swain will officially suit up for Chicago starting July 10 in Las Vegas. The Bulls open Summer League against the Memphis Grizzlies, and that’s when fans get their first real look at what this front office saw in them.
Wilson went fourth overall in June’s draft. The 6-foot-10 forward spent one season at North Carolina, averaging 19.8 points and 9.4 rebounds per game. Bulls VP of Basketball Operations Bryson Graham has a philosophy he calls SLAP — Size, Length, Athleticism, Physicality — and Wilson fits that mold about as cleanly as any prospect in the class.
Swain came off the board at No. 15. He played his last college season at Texas, where he put up 17.3 points, 7.5 rebounds and 3.6 assists per game. Scouts like his transition scoring and his feel for creating shots for others. He’s not the flashiest name in this rookie class, but the Bulls clearly believe he’s got a real floor as a contributor.
New Era, New Faces, New Vibe
This isn’t just about two rookies getting comfortable in Chicago. The whole organization is turning over. Tiaggo Splitter is the new head coach. The front office has been reshuffled. The roster philosophy is shifting. The Bulls are trying to move past the play-in tournament cycle and into something that actually looks like a direction.
Wilson and Swain are supposed to be part of that. Whether they can be the spark the franchise has been waiting for — that’s the question nobody can answer yet. But at least they’ve got the ceremonial stuff out of the way.
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