Caleb Wilson walked off the floor in Las Vegas with 35 points, five rebounds, three blocks and two steals. He also walked off with a loss. And that is the only number he cares about.
The Chicago Bulls rookie, taken third overall in the 2026 NBA Draft out of North Carolina, lit up the Memphis Grizzlies in his Summer League debut Friday night. He shot 12-of-21 from the field, hit 7-of-11 from three, and played 33 minutes like a guy who already looks too good for this setting. But when a reporter told him his 35 points might be an unofficial record for a Summer League debut, Wilson just shook it off.
“We lost,” he said. “I mean that’s my goal to come here and win.”
K.C. Johnson, who covers the Bulls, tweeted that the first thing Wilson brought up when asked how he played was turnovers and missed boxouts. Not the points. Not the highlight reel. The mistakes. That tells you something about the kind of rookie Chicago just drafted.
Why the loss stung more than the stat line
Chicago trailed 79-68 going into the fourth quarter. They made a real push, outscoring Memphis 28-18 in the final frame. But they came up short, losing 97-96 in the final seconds. Wilson had the ball in his hands late but couldn’t get the game-winner to fall. That is the moment he’ll remember.
“We lost,” he repeated after the game, almost like he couldn’t believe he had to say it twice.
The Bulls had five players in double figures. Jaylin Sellers put up 15 points, four boards and four assists. Kennedy Chandler added 11 points and five dimes. Noa Essengue and Malik Williams each chipped in 10. But none of that matters to a guy like Wilson, who was the best player on the floor and still came out on the wrong side of the score.
Look, Summer League is notoriously weird. Veterans sit out, lineups are thrown together, and the whole thing is more about individual auditions than team chemistry. Most rookies would be thrilled to drop 35 in their first game and call it a week. Wilson isn’t most rookies.
What comes next
Chicago plays Utah on July 13 at 9 p.m. ET. Wilson will probably score 25 and still find something to complain about if they lose. That is the mentality the Bulls need if they want to get back to the playoffs. The kid was a force at North Carolina, one of the best freshmen in the country. He doesn’t seem interested in moral victories. Not now. Not ever.
One game. One loss. One rookie who knows exactly what he wants.
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