Caleb Wilson Hasn’t Played Ball in Months. He’s Already Facing the Jitters.

Caleb Wilson is about to put a jersey on for the first time since March. And he’s not pretending it feels normal.

The Chicago Bulls fourth overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft spoke Monday after practice, ahead of the team’s Summer League opener in Las Vegas on July 10. He admitted straight up that he’s dealing with some nerves. Not the scared kind. The I haven’t touched a ball in a real game since my college season ended kind.

“I’ve been waiting on this opportunity for a very long time,” Wilson told reporters, per Elias Schuster of Sports Illustrated. “It’s kind of surreal to see how fast it all went but I’m definitely excited to play. I feel like when I play out there just like when I played today, it’s kind a lot little jitters because I haven’t played in so long, but I’ll be good.”

The long wait since UNC

Wilson last played competitive basketball when North Carolina’s season ended short in the NCAA tournament. That was months ago. For a guy who averaged nearly 20 points and 9.4 rebounds a game as a freshman, that kind of downtime can mess with your rhythm. He said he’s been thinking about mid-July Summer League ever since that final buzzer sounded.

But here’s the thing about Wilson. He’s 6-foot-10. He fits the exact physical profile Bulls exec Bryson Graham has been chasing — size, length, athleticism, physicality. That’s the whole SLAP acronym thing the front office has been pushing. And Wilson is the first real test of whether that philosophy works.

The Bulls are betting he’s the kind of generational talent who can change the direction of the franchise. That’s a lot of weight for a rookie who admits he’s still shaking off rust. But the team seems fine with it.

Tiago Splitter wants to set a tone early

New head coach Tiago Splitter will be on the bench for the first two Summer League games. He’s not just there to watch. Splitter told K.C. Johnson of The Chicago Sports Network that he’s coaching those games specifically to send a message.

“I want to set the tone, especially having guys like Caleb and Dailyn,” Splitter said. Dailyn Swain, the No. 15 overall pick, is the other rookie the Bulls are leaning on. “They’re going to be important for this organization.”

The Bulls open Summer League against the Memphis Grizzlies. A lot of eyes will be on Wilson. Some will be watching to see if the jitters flash. Others will be watching to see if the hype was real.

Probably both.