Wizards forward AJ Dybantsa, Jazz guard Darryn Peterson and Grizzlies forward will all have the opportunity to play against the Bulls' No. 4 overall pick, Caleb Wilson, this season.
The 2026-27 NBA schedule is finally out, and it provides several intriguing matchups for the Chicago Bulls.
Most notably, No. 4 overall pick Caleb Wilson will get the opportunity to face off against several of the league's other top rookies. Wilson is highly motivated by his desire to be the best player — in his draft class, in the NBA and in league history — and he will undoubtedly have his games against the three players drafted ahead of him circled on his calendar.
Chicago has just three primetime games this season, but given the excitement that the top four picks all showed during Summer League, it's easy to see a situation where a matchup between star rookies gets flexed to national television.
Here's when Wilson will face off against each of the three players picked before him this season:
No. 1 Pick: AJ Dybantsa (Washington Wizards)
Saturday, Oct. 24: Wizards at Bulls, 7:00 p.m. CT
Friday, Nov. 20: Wizards at Bulls, 7:00 p.m. CT (NBA Cup)
Monday, Feb. 8: Bulls at Wizards, 6:00 p.m. CT
Wednesday, Mar. 31: Bulls at Wizards, 6:00 p.m. CT
Dybantsa is the lone player taken before Wilson who didn't face him in college, as BYU and North Carolina never crossed paths. The two also did not play each other in Summer League because the Wizards sat Dybantsa after just two games. However, Washington and Chicago will play each other four times this season, including once in the NBA Cup.
The Bulls host the Wizards for their home opener on Oct. 24 and generally have a very spread-out slate.
No. 2 Pick: Darryn Peterson (Utah Jazz)
Wednesday, Dec. 16: Jazz at Bulls, 7:00 p.m. CT
Tuesday, Jan. 12: Bulls at Jazz, 8:00 p.m. CT
Nov 7, 2025; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels forward CalebWilson (8) shoots as Kansas Jayhawks forward Flory Bidunga (40) and guard Melvin Council Jr. (14) and guard DarrynPeterson (22) defend in the second half at Dean E. Smith Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images Wilson similarly did not have the opportunity to play Peterson in Summer League — the Jazz sat the No. 2 pick after two outings in Salt Lake City and three in Las Vegas — but North Carolina did defeat Kansas in a nonconference match last season. He was a nearly perfect 9-of-11 for 24 points and added seven rebounds, four assists and four steals as the Tar Heels beat the Jayhawks, 87-74. Peterson was strong in his own right with 22 points on 8-of-14 shooting, with three rebounds, three assists, two steals and a block.
The Bulls and Jazz will play each other twice in the span of a month during midseason.
No. 3 Pick: Cameron Boozer (Memphis Grizzlies)
Friday, Oct. 9: Bulls at Grizzlies, 7:00 p.m. CT (Preseason)
Saturday, Mar. 13: Grizzlies at Bulls, 7:00 p.m. CT
Thursday, Mar. 25: Bulls at Grizzlies, 7:00 p.m. CT
Feb 7, 2026; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels forward Caleb Wilson (8) shoots over Duke Blue Devils forward Cameron Boozer (12) in the second half at Dean E. Smith Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images Boozer and Wilson have a storied rivalry, dating back to their AAU days and continuing into their time at Duke and North Carolina. The two actually only met once in college, where Wilson's Tar Heels got the best of the Blue Devils in 71-68 win. Wilson played a season-high 40 minutes and totaled 23 points on 8-of-12 shooting, along with four rebounds, two assists, two steals and a block. Boozer got his revenge in the regular season finale, but Wilson did not play due to a thumb injury that ended his year early.
Both players starred in their Las Vegas Summer League debuts against each other. Wilson broke the Summer League scoring record for a debut with 35 points on a blistering 7-of-11 shooting from deep, but Boozer got the win and tallied an efficient 23 points. The All-Summer League First Team featured both Wilson and Boozer, the latter of whom led his team to the event's championship game.
Although the rivalry will be limited to two regular season games per year, it's possible that NBA expansion could push the Memphis Grizzlies into the Eastern Conference in a few years and set up even more matchups — potentially with postseason implications.
