Craig Counsell had good things to say about the Chicago Bulls' No. 4 overall pick.
Caleb Wilson has yet to play an NBA game, but he appears to already have a fan in Chicago Cubs manager Craig Counsell.
The Bulls' No. 4 overall pick from this summer's NBA Draft attended his first Cubs game last Thursday, joining teammate Matas Buzelis and Bears quarterback Caleb Williams in the crowd to support National League MVP favorite Pete Crow-Armstrong. Buzelis' friendship with Williams and Crow-Armstrong has been well-documented as the trio of young athletes has risen to Chicago stardom, and Wilson seems to be the next in line to bring hope to the city.
Wilson, Buzelis and Williams sat behind the Cubs' dugout to cheer on Crow-Armstrong and rally the crowd during Chicago's 2-1 win over the Brewers. Counsell had the chance to meet Wilson for the first time since the Bulls made him their top selection in July and spoke very highly of the 20-year-old.
"That was cool; I don't know what inning they put Caleb [Williams] up on the scoreboard, but that was cool that they were down there," Counsell said in his post-game press conference. "It was fun meeting Wilson from the Bulls earlier. He seems like a great kid. Excited to watch him play. I know Pete's got a relationship with some of those guys, so that was very cool."
Sep 3, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Bulls rookie Caleb Wilson, left, Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams, center, and Cole Bennett, right, cheer on the Chicago Cubs during their game against the Milwaukee Brewers at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-Imagn Images When asked if he had the chance to give Wilson any pointers when they met before the game, Counsell jokingly promised reporters that the young talent will be a better basketball player than a baseball player.
Wilson is part of a youth movement in Chicago sports. Between himself, Buzelis (21 years old), Williams (24), Crow-Armstrong (24), the Blackhawks' Connor Bedard (21) and the White Sox's Colson Montgomery (24), each of Chicago's Big Four sports teams is headlined by a rising star who will lead their respective leagues for years to come.
The Bulls, in particular, are especially centered around young talent. While the Cubs, Bears and White Sox are playoff contenders, the Bulls are just beginning their rebuild. In addition to Wilson and Buzelis, Chicago has point guard Josh Giddey (23), rookie wing Dailyn Swain (21), wing Noa Essengue (19), guard Rob Dillingham (21) and forward Leonard Miller (22) all rostered ahead of the upcoming season. New head coach Tiago Splitter will look to develop Chicago's young core as new lead executive Bryson Graham identifies assets for the future.
Wilson turned 20 years old in July and the hopes of the Bulls rest largely on his shoulders. He was an All-American during his lone season at North Carolina, averaging 19.8 points, 9.4 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 1.5 steals and 1.4 blocks per game for the Tar Heels. Wilson also showed out in Las Vegas and was named to the All-Summer League First Team.
The Chicago Bulls' 2026-27 regular season tips off on Wednesday, Oct. 21, on the road against the Toronto Raptors.
