The Chicago Bulls are taking a patient approach in the development of rookie Caleb Wilson, at least according to the team’s head coach Tiago Splitter.
According to Splitter, the team should be patient and allow Wilson to flourish in his role, especially as the Bulls look to give him more looks.
Wilson had a turbulent yet encouraging start to his rookie NBA season with the Bulls, shaking off a rough debut with a clutch performance in his second game.
“I think you got to be patient, right? Sometimes he doesn’t touch the ball. He starts to creep to the ball. He wants to shoot it. And it’s understandable,” Splitter said. “You just got to be patient. We’re going to feed him throughout the game. We’re going to find moments to give him the ball, and that’s what we did at the end, and he closed the game for us.”
Tiago Splitter: “I think you got to be patient, right? Sometimes he doesn’t touch the ball. He starts to creep to the ball. He wants to shoot it. And it’s
Caleb Wilson’s Lackluster NBA Debut And How He Bounced Back
In his NBA debut against the Toronto Raptors, the No. 4 overall pick endured a harsh welcome to the league during a 135-92 blowout loss.
Though he managed to score 16 points and grab 4 rebounds, his night was heavily marred by a rough 7-of-21 shooting performance from the field, including a dismal 1-of-8 from 3-point range, and 9 turnovers against zero assists.
His struggles on both ends culminated in an historic -45 plus-minus rating, the worst mark ever recorded in an NBA debut.
Wilson responded with resilience just two nights later, spearheading a 132-125 comeback victory over the Milwaukee Bucks. The versatile forward shrugged off the jitters and delivered an efficient 21-point performance on 7-of-14 shooting, while also chipping in 6 rebounds, 2 blocks, and cutting his turnovers down to 3.
According to eagle-eye pundits, his combined point totals across these first two games (16 and 21) matched the identical scoring output of legendary Bulls rookie Michael Jordan in his own first two career games back in 1984.
Bulls Rookie Caleb Wilson Maintains Confidence In The Clutch
Rookie Caleb Wilson has remained confident despite his debut struggles. In his second game, where he played much better and delivered in the clutch for the Bulls, Wilson showed confidence in his post-game statement.
“I mean, I feel like I’m built for the moment, so whenever I get that chance, I’m going to go out there and show what I can do,” he said on Friday. “It’s a great opportunity, but we play again tomorrow, so I’m already on to the next.”
Wilson has been slated to be the next franchise player of the Bulls. Standing at 6’10” with an expansive 7′ 0.25″ wingspan and a 9’0″ standing reach, Wilson functions as a “freak of nature” athlete who blends rare coordination, fluidity, and explosive vertical pop.
As shown in the first two games, Wilson also covers vast amounts of ground with long, sweeping strides and a ferocious motor.
Wilson is expected to grow into a more efficient and reliable star in his role for the Bulls. For now, the team understands the learning curve for the rookie, and they are willing to go through that to maximize his potential.
Bulls Head Coach Signals Patience In Struggling Rookie Caleb Wilson