By R.L. Bynum
Caleb Wilson formally introduced himself to Chicago on Friday, and Bulls fans quickly found out what Carolina fans have known for a while: the talented forward isn’t lacking in confidence.
On draft night, he talked about wanting to be “better than Mike,” referring to Bulls legend Michael Jordan, and there were more pronouncements Friday sure to get the attention of fans.
That might put more pressure on the former UNC star in a city where Jordan became the greatest player in the game.
“I don’t worry about it at all,” Wilson said at a press conference with Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations Bryson Graham and No. 15 overall draft pick Dailyn Swain at Advocate Center in Chicago. “Me saying I want to do something, and me putting actions behind it and becoming a great player, all things that I feel like I’m capable of. Striving for something is something that we all do. Striving to be the greatest ever is a bold thing to say, but that’s what I’m striving for.”
Throughout the press conference, there were few smiles from Wilson, who appeared to be all business.
“I’m not striving to be an average or mediocre player, and if I was to tell you that, or anyone that, that wouldn’t be good either,” Wilson said. “I’m striving to be the best player that has ever played the game, and I’ve been doing that for a long time, so I’m just going to keep doing that. If I reach it, I do. If I don’t, then at least I know I tried.”
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That confidence has been part of Wilson’s personality for years, and he didn’t try to dial it back during his first news conference as a Bull. Asked what kind of rookie season he expects, Wilson didn’t hesitate.
“I expect to have Rookie of the Year,” Wilson said. “I’m going to work hard. I’m going to do what it takes. I feel like the team is really good for me and how I envision to play, and I know I’m a hard worker. Whatever I need to fix and work on throughout the season and before the season, I’m going to work on it so I can be a great player.”
Wilson, selected by Chicago with the No. 4 overall pick in Tuesday’s first round of the NBA draft after one season at Carolina, said he understands the attention that comes with the whirlwind of draft week. But he said his focus quickly turned to basketball, winning and helping the Bulls build the culture they want.
“It’s a whirlwind of time, and it’s hard to just sit back and breathe,” Wilson said. “But we’re here for basketball. We’re here to be winners, have a great culture and set the tone for this team moving forward. So just focus on basketball.”
Wilson said he sees Bulls as a franchise getting off to a fresh start with new Coach Tiago Splitter, and said he can help the franchise return to prominence.
“I feel like we have what we need to be a great team,” Wilson said. “I know I’ll step in and be a leader by leading by example and making sure that I get this city back to where it was. I’m really excited for the opportunity, and I feel like we have a great group of guys around us to make it happen. I’m excited to get to work. It’s time to go for me.”
Wilson’s appeal to the Bulls came from his versatility, athleticism and upside. At Carolina, he showed flashes as a forward who could rebound, push the ball, create in transition, defend multiple spots and make plays in space.
He said he doesn’t want to be limited by a narrow NBA role.
“I just envision being able to play,” Wilson said. “I feel like I’m just a basketball player. I’m going to do what it takes to win — getting a rebound, pushing it, creating, initiating transition, making sure I’m a good screener, coming off ball screens, just doing what it takes to be a good basketball player.
“I try not to box myself into a role, and that’s how Tiago envisions it as well, just making sure you have the opportunity to play basketball freely, but within a little bit of structure.”
Wilson said making a strong first impression matters to him because he understands how limited NBA opportunities can be, even for lottery picks.
“It means a lot,” Wilson said. “You only get one opportunity to make a first impression. You only get one opportunity to do what I’m doing, have an NBA career. So, I take every moment that I have seriously. I want to take every practice seriously, and knowing that it’s only a limited amount of time, I know I’m going to be a leader who leads by example, making sure I try to become first in all the conditioning tests and drills, and do everything I can to be a leader that people respect.”
Much of the discussion around Wilson before the draft centered on how much development remains in his game, especially compared with the three players picked in front of him. Wilson said he has heard those critiques before and doesn’t put much stock in them.
“I played all of them, so you know what happened when I played them,” Wilson said. “It don’t really matter. I don’t really care about the media. I’m a competitor, and I get to play in summer league, too. Whatever needs to be done to prove that I’m on the same level, or that I’m better, we’ll do it.”
Wilson said his motivation isn’t based on matchups or outside doubts, even when asked about high-profile games against Kansas and Duke during his lone season at Carolina. He outplayed top pick AJ Dybantsa in an exhibition game with BYU, and did the same against Kansas guard Darryn Peterson and Duke forward Cameron Boozer.
“I didn’t have any motivation based on the person on the other side,” Wilson said. “It’s about me. I’m just proving myself right.”
That theme came up again when Wilson was asked about draft-night commentary suggesting he might have been picked higher than expected. Wilson said those perceptions often come from mock drafts and narratives that don’t necessarily reflect how NBA teams view prospects.
“I think people just go off of whatever the narrative is when they look up a mock draft,” Wilson said. “But if you really pay attention to all the media outlets, a lot of the range was different for me. I think I was one of the wide-range guys. I wouldn’t say I was surprised to go where I went. If I hadn’t come here, I think I would have been selected really soon after, and that might have surprised people.
“I think it just adds a chip on my shoulder, and people say overdrafted, or whatever the case may be. It’s just an added motivation piece, and just to prove myself right.”
Wilson acknowledged that the NBA game will be different . But he said he believes he has the physical tools and skill set to become the player he envisions.
“I know it’s a different game, and I know development is linear,” Wilson said. “But I got everything I need to be great. I’m extremely athletic. I have a game that translates to the NBA well. Everything I need to work on is stuff that I can actually work on. It’s not something that God has to give me, because He’s given me everything I need.”
Wilson said that work ethic developed when he realized basketball could give him direction. He said he didn’t truly begin taking the sport seriously until he was about 14.
“Once I really started to stick with it, I really started to work hard, and I just love the game,” Wilson said. “I have a lot of fun with it, but I want to be legendary. I want to be remembered after I finish playing, and that’s what pushes me every day to be a great player.”
Wilson credited both parents for helping shape him, saying his father pushed him athletically and his mother pushed him academically.
As for players he studied growing up, Wilson said he watched Nikola Jokic for his passing and Giannis Antetokounmpo for his transition game and explosiveness.
“I like to watch a lot of Jokic,” Wilson said. “When I was young, early high school, middle school for me, I wasn’t really that athletic, which is funny, so I used to watch him a lot because I feel like he could pass the ball really well. That’s something I thought I could do well, too. And then I like Giannis a lot, too, because of his ability to play in transition and just make plays.”
Wilson made clear before the draft that Chicago was one of his preferred destinations, even wearing a Derrick Rose pin in a nod to the former Bulls star. He said his pre-draft conversations with the organization helped solidify that feeling.
“Meeting with Bryson before, and meeting with coach before, I was able to see their vision and what they expected of me and what they expect of the team, and I really align with it,” Wilson said. “Being a good team has a big part to do with me. If I want to make something happen, it’s me. It’s not the front office or anything like that. It’s me on the court making this stuff happen.”
For Wilson, the draw was not only the franchise’s history but also the chance to play in a city where basketball still carries enormous weight.
“My whole thing is just finding a group of guys that believe in me and are going to let me play,” Wilson said. “I feel like that’s all I really need, and that’s what they told me they needed for sure. It’s a great city and a great market, and I feel like the NBA is better when Chicago is good.”
Wilson joins a Bulls franchise still trying to define its future, and he was asked whether he had considered what a rebuilding situation might look like over the next few years. His answer stayed consistent with the rest of his message.
“I’m just trying to be as good as I can be,” Wilson said. “Whatever happens is going to happen. I’m going to develop, and I’m going to keep getting better. Of course, I want to be a great team, so I’m trying to get that to happen as quick as I can.”
He certainly has the confidence to do it.
Photo via YouTube screenshot
