Hardly a month into his NBA career, former UNC standout Caleb Wilson is already turning heads.
The Chicago Bulls rookie scored the most points ever in a Summer League debut with a 35-point performance on July 10 against the Memphis Grizzlies. After making seven threes during his entire freshman season at the University of North Carolina, the No. 4 pick shot 7-for-11 from deep in his impressive Summer League debut.
Although he wasn’t quite as effective from beyond the arc in his second Summer League contest, Wilson delivered a poster dunk that sent social media into a frenzy.
Two exhibition games into his career, Wilson has already begun turning heads, and former All-Star Jeff Teague said that the Bulls rookie resembles a young LeBron James. Not only that, but Teague highlighted one skill that Wilson does better than the NBA’s all-time leading scorer.
“I was wilding,” Teague said of his pre-draft assessment of Wilson, in which he compared him to Stromile Swift. “He looks like LeBron! And he got more handles than LeBron!”
The 2021 NBA Champion also highlighted one area of Wilson’s game he likes more than No. 1 pick AJ Dybantsa.
“I like AJ, but [Wilson] doesn’t flop as much as AJ,” Teague said on his Club 520 podcast.
Caleb Wilson Discusses His Work Ethic
Heading into the NBA Draft, Caleb Wilson was viewed as an athletic marvel with a relentless motor. Scouts praised his ability to put pressure on the rim, defend multiple positions, and his verticality.
The only real knock on the 19-year-old prospect was his shooting ability, which scouts believed would need refinement.
Following his Summer League debut, in which he drilled seven three-pointers, many were shocked by his efficiency.
Wilson, however, isn’t surprised at all, and told reporters that shooting was always a part of his game; he just didn’t showcase it often in college.
“I could shoot in college, it just wasn’t my role,” Wilson said in a media scrum. “I’m sure you guys have watched college basketball. We ran the Carolina break, rim runner, get to the top of the key.
“Nothing wrong with it. I appreciate my coach for allowing me to do what I did in college. It’s no hard feelings. I’m glad I didn’t shoot threes in college, because if I did, I wouldn’t be here. I don’t know what I’d be, but I wouldn’t be a Bull.”
Per Wilson, he’s been getting up 2,000-2,500 shots per day in the gym over the last 10 weeks. He says he hasn’t changed his mechanics, but is building confidence through repetition.
“It’s not any change or anything like that,” Wilson said. “You get more confidence because you know you’re putting in the work. But it’s nothing that I’m changing.”
Wilson also noted that being a pro offers time to work on his game that he didn’t have in college.
“I didn’t really have the time; I had to go to class,” Wilson continued. “It was different. I actually had to be a student-athlete. I didn’t have the time to do that. That’s what’s good about the NBA. It’s just your job.”
Chicago fans and brass alike have to love what they are seeing so far from the rookie standout.
Former All-Star Says Caleb Wilson is Better Than LeBron James in Key Area