Caleb

Wilson

Wilson may have shot the ball reasonably well on Thursday, but this was his worst showing in Las Vegas by some distance. More damaging than the 1-of-6 day from beyond the arc was the turnover count, as the lottery pick was responsible for eight. Wilson has said he does not plan to sit at all, but the Bulls will have nothing to play for in their fifth and final game. And his absence could create opportunities for fellow first-round pick Dailyn Swain (four points, two rebounds, one assist, and one steal), who has struggled throughout Chicago’s time in Las Vegas.

After losses in his first two summer league games, Wilson got his first victory on Tuesday. The showdown between him and AJ Dybantsa never materialized, as the Wizards shut down the first overall pick, as well as Tre Johnson and Will Riley. Wilson knocked down two more three-pointers, and the perimeter shot that was his big weakness going into the draft has been an asset in Las Vegas. With the Bulls rebuilding and clearly viewing him as a key building block, one can make a case for Wilson being the first rookie off the board in drafts this fall.

After going off for 35 points in his summer league debut, Wilson was bound to slow down some. That’s precisely what happened, as the Bulls forward started slowly. However, he would do more than score against the Jazz, with the final stat line including two steals and five blocked shots. In fantasy basketball, defensive production can compensate for offensive struggles, so that was good to see from Wilson. The negative from his performance on Monday was the 0-of-6 night at the foul line. Wilson is now 2-of-12 from the charity stripe in Las Vegas, but this should not be a long-term concern for fantasy managers.

What a night for Wilson, who set the franchise record for most points in a summer league debut. While there were some negatives, most notably the six turnovers, Wilson’s shot-making ability was highly impressive. He shot 7-of-11 from beyond the arc, including one as time expired. Given his perimeter shooting struggles during his lone season at North Carolina, it would be a game-changer for Wilson and the Bulls if he can consistently hit those shots once the games count.

A late-season injury led to Wilson appearing in 24 games last season, but that did nothing to dissuade draft analysts from placing him among the top players in this draft class. Wilson averaged 19.8 points, 9.4 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 1.5 steals and 1.4 blocks, shooting 57.8 percent from the field and 71.3 percent from the foul line. He doesn’t bring much to the table as a three-point shooter; that’s an area where Wilson will need to improve to unlock his full potential. With the Wilson selection, the Bulls have taken another step toward rebuilding their frontcourt. The rookie will join Matas Buzelis and Nic Claxton, with the latter arriving via trade. With Josh Giddey running the show, Wilson’s athleticism and ability to run the floor should pay dividends early on as the Bulls rebuild.