The Chicago Bulls Need Dailyn Swain To Have A Successful G League Stint

The Chicago Bulls drafted Dailyn Swain with the 15th overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft.

Swain entered the draft off of an excellent junior season at the University of Texas. The 6-foot-7, 220-pound wing was handed the keys to the Longhorns' offense and responded with 17.3 PPG, 7.5 RPG and 3.6 APG.

The 3.6 assists per game — which translated to a 21% assist rate — were what stood out, as they indicated that Swain could have potential as a steady pick-and-roll ball-handler. 

The ability to handle the ball and capably run the offense — in terms of getting open looks for others is extremely valuable when combined with size and defensive versatility. This combination of skills is what will eventually lead to Swain being a high-level NBA player. But for Swain to reach those heights, we need a fairly large sample size of him acting as a lead playmaker. 

It is still possible to see that growth from limited NBA minutes, but a more accurate assessment would come fron seeing Swain getting heavy on-ball usage with the Windy City Bulls. 

Scouting the G League is tough because of the chaotic, fastbreak-oriented style, but a trained and focused eye can still spot a difference maker if they are evaluating the player for the role they will eventually play at the NBA level. 

Swain is a talented passer, capable of routinely finding shooters in the corners or above the break, or hitting the roll man in pick-and-roll actions. However, almost all of his playmaking is set up by his ability to breakdown defenders off the dribble and bully them at the rim with his large frame.

Over two years at Xavier and his lone year at Texas, Swain shot 58.3% on two-point FGAs. The most impressive part of Swain's college career was the steady growth rate, which shows up in his 2-point shooting. He improved every single year of college in terms of two-point FG%, shooting 60.3% over his final season. 

Unfortunately, we haven't been able to evaluate Swain's ability as a driver at any point during this young season. He's played a handful (12 total) of minutes and only attempted three shots. Swain struggled mightily throughout the NBA Las Vegas Summer League and preseason, although his preseason performance at least included a handful of encouraging moments. 

The playmaking and unorthodox jumper are what set Swain apart from your run-of-the-mill wing player. We haven't seen Swain's 3-point shot in game action, but there has been a steady stream of practice footage showcasing the work he is putting in. Starting for the Windy City Bulls in the G League would be a great environment for Swain to work on his 3-point shooting outside of a practice setting. 

As far as the playmaking goes, it's the one area we can say Swain has at least briefly flashed some potential in at the NBA level.

He posted a 1.75 assist-to-turnover ratio over four preseason games. His best game was a 10-point, 6-assist performance in just 22 minutes against the Phoenix Suns. In that matchup, Swain also shot 100% from the field, 100% (4-of-4) from the free throw line and collected two steals. While the 10 points were a modest output, the six assists in 22 minutes, combined with some defensive playmaking, are what we would want to see out of Swain over a G League stint, just with greater volume.

The G League season starts on November 6th. G League training camps are already under way, but Swain has a leg up on any potential G League teammates, having already practiced and played with Tobe Awaka, Jaylin Sellers and Jordan Hawkins. 

Swain is soaking up a ton of knowledge seeing the NBA game up close, and practing with valuable veterans like Norman Powell, Tre Jones and Buddy Hield. But of the Bulls want to accelerate Swain's development, letting him explore the limits of his game with the Windy City Bulls would be the wisest decision.