Caleb Wilson received a lofty comparison from longtime Bulls columnist Sam Smith.
The Chicago Bulls franchise was revitalized this offseason. They jumped into the top-four of the NBA Draft via the lottery, guaranteeing them one of the prospects from a class that had been long pegged as having at least four elite prospects. At fourth overall, Chicago jumped at the opportunity to select the 6-foot-10--and potentially growing--Caleb Wilson out of North Carolina.
Longtime journalist and current Chicago Bulls (Bulls.com) writer Sam Smith--author of New York Times Best-Seller 'The Jordan Rules'--has seen more NBA history than your average sportswriter, including majority of the existence of the Bulls franchise.
In a recent interview with SiusXM NBA Radio Host David Shepard, Smith had high praise for Wilson and his immense potential. Smith went as far as to compare Wilson's arrival to the greatest player in the history of the sport.
"I've been covering the Bulls longer than you've been ALIVE. Caleb Wilson is the BEST Bulls prospect since Michael Jordan"
Smith stated that Wilson is the best Bulls prospect since Michael Jordan was selected 3rd overall out of North Carolina in the now legendary 1984 NBA Draft.
Sep 28, 2026; Chiacgo, Il, USA; Chicago Bulls forward Caleb Wilson (8) poses during media day. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-Imagn Images
Wilson was the 5th ranked prospect in the 2025 Recruiting Services Consensus Index (RSCI) Rankings coming out of high school. Ahead of Wilson in the 2025 RSCI was AJ Dybantsa, Darryn Peterson, Cameron Boozer and Nate Ament.
Dybantsa (No. 1 to the Washington Wizards), Peterson (No. 2 to the Utah Jazz) and Boozer (No. 3 to the Memphis Grizzlies) all went ahead of Wilson in the 2026 NBA Draft.
After a somewhat struggle-filled season at Tennessee, Ament's stock lost some of it's luster. He was selected 13th by the Miami Heat (later traded to Milwaukee as part of the Giannis Antetokounmpo package). The point of laying out the RCSI rankings of these prospects and comparing it to their eventual NBA draft position was to show that Wilson--if only slightly--saw his stock rise to even greater heights despite an injury-shortened season with the North Carolina Tar Heels.
Wilson averaged 19.8 PPG, 9.4 RPG, 2.7 APG and shot 57.8% from the field. He was a force inside the paint on both sides of the ball, collecting 7.5 FTAs per game, 1.4 BPG and shooting 61% from the field on 2-point FGs.
Obviously it is difficult to directly compare different eras, let alone a three-year NCAA career to a lone NCAA season, but Jordan's three-year stint at UNC produced similar two-way impact (along with more winning).
Jordan averaged 17.7 PPG and 5 RPG over his three seasons, including 19.6 PPG with a combined 2.7 steals + blocks per game and eight separate player of the year awards.
It goes without saying that Wilson would obviously have a massive amount to accomplish to have any sort Jordan-like legacy in Chicago, but it isn't crazy to compare the anticipation and expectations of Wilson vs. Bulls legends purely as prospects. Smith's opinion puts into perspective how important it is for the Bulls to have a concrete plan to aid Wilson's development into a franchise cornerstone.
If Wilson truly is the best Bulls prospect since MJ, then they cannot afford to make many mistakes as they develop him. It is no guarantee--especially with the new lottery rules--that Chicago will get an opportunity to select a truly elite prospect anytime in the near future.
