Chicago Bulls 2026 Rookie Summer League Report Card: Final Grades

NBA Summer League 2026 has come and gone and, with the school year officially beginning in Las Vegas, it's time to hand out some final report cards.

For the past few weeks, the Thomas & Mack Center and Cox Pavilion served as classrooms for some of the NBA's brightest young prospects. With training camp set to start in late September, Summer League was Chicago Bulls fans' last chance to see rookies Caleb Wilson, Dailyn Swain, Jaylin Sellers and Tobe Awaka play for the next couple of months. Now that the final bell has rung and summer school is officially out, it's time to see which Bulls prospects passed with flying colors and which ones may need a little extra credit before training camp.

The big question surrounding Caleb Wilson coming into Summer League was whether he could play to the level of the top three draft picks in Cameron Boozer, AJ Dybantsa and Darryn Peterson. Wilson immediately proved he belonged on the floor, scoring 35 points while going 7-of-11 from three in his Summer League debut against Boozer and the Grizzlies. Wilson shined with difficult shot-making, great energy and some incredible defensive highs, showing the world he has the same potential as the other three top rookies and raising his stock in many NBA fans' eyes.

Off the court, Wilson showcased a personality in Vegas that is built for stardom in Chicago sports. He famously accused Peterson and Dybantsa of not liking basketball as much as he does after both decided not to play in their matchups with the Bulls. Whether he was talking trash to opponents, joking with teammates or embracing the spotlight, Wilson consistently showed the type of confidence and charisma that can make a player beloved by Chicago fans. While his talent will ultimately determine how far he goes in the NBA, his personality gives him another quality that could make him a perfect fit in Chicago.

Wilson didn't just pass his first Summer League class. He graduated with honors.

Final Grade: A+

Dailyn Swain's Summer League performance was a major disappointment considering the hype surrounding him coming into the draft. Swain often seemed to shrink in the moment, hesitating around the rim and struggling to finish when opportunities presented themselves. He also had trouble finding any sort of offensive rhythm, failing to consistently score or impact the game with the ball in his hands. The one saving grace for Swain was his defense, where he showed some of the versatility and physicality that made him such a highly touted prospect in the first place. However, that was not enough to make up for his lack of production and overall lack of confidence on the offensive end. Swain will have plenty of time to bounce back, but his Summer League performance was far from what the Bulls hoped to see from one of their most highly touted young prospects.

Swain's defense kept him from completely failing the class, but his offensive struggles left him with plenty of studying to do before training camp.

Final Grade: D+

Jaylin Sellers was one of the biggest surprises of the Bulls' Summer League run. The undrafted free agent out of Providence immediately set the tone defensively with his aggressive nature, consistently pressuring the ball and making life difficult for opposing guards. Offensively, Sellers relentlessly attacked the basket and played with a confidence that made him stand out among the Bulls' young players. While he still has plenty to prove at the NBA level, Sellers' Summer League performance was exactly what Chicago needed to see from an undrafted free agent hoping to earn a spot in the league. He may have even played his way into some real opportunities with the main team this season rather than simply spending the year in the G League.

Sellers was the definition of an overachiever in Vegas. He came into Summer League as an undrafted free agent and left looking like one of the students most likely to earn a spot in the NBA. The Bulls may have found a player who was more than ready for the extra credit assignment.

Final Grade: A-

Tobe Awaka got off to a slow start in Summer League but began to find his footing as the games went on. The big man became one of the few reliable targets for Caleb Wilson's passing, consistently putting himself in good positions around the basket while attacking the glass with toughness and physicality. Awaka also showcased the toughness that made him such an intriguing developmental prospect in the middle, battling for rebounds and refusing to back down from opposing big men. While he likely won't receive any meaningful NBA minutes this season, Awaka could be a nice developmental piece for the Bulls in the G League and showed enough during the latter half of Summer League to make his future worth keeping an eye on.

Awaka may have started the semester with a few rough grades, but he improved as the class went on. By the end of Summer League, he had shown enough toughness and reliability to earn himself a passing grade and a chance to continue his development in the G League.

Final Grade: B-

Summer League is always a strange classroom. The games are played at a different pace, the rosters are constantly changing and the stakes are nowhere near as high as they will be once the regular season begins. A strong performance in Vegas does not guarantee NBA success, just as a poor showing does not mean a young player is destined to fail.

Still, the Bulls learned plenty about their young players over the past few weeks. Caleb Wilson looked like a potential star both on and off the court, Jaylin Sellers may have played his way into a real opportunity with the NBA team and Tobe Awaka showed enough toughness to make himself an intriguing developmental piece. Dailyn Swain, meanwhile, has plenty of work to do before the next semester begins.

The final bell has rung in Vegas, but the real test is still ahead. Training camp will be the next class and for some of these young Bulls, it could be the most important one of their careers.