NBA Draft Analyst Reveals Why UNC's Caleb Wilson 'Isn't a Sure Thing'

NBA draft analyst Kevin O'Connor of Yahoo Sports has the Chicago Bulls taking former UNC star Caleb Wilson with the fourth overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft. 

While O'Connor is high on Wilson, he does have some concerns about the big man. 

"Wilson is the most gifted athlete in the draft class," O'Connor wrote. "He's 6-9 with springs for legs. When he's flying above the rim, finishing through contact, and chasing down every shot in his area code, he looks like a future franchise cornerstone. That’s exactly what the Bulls need in the frontcourt.

"But Wilson isn’t a sure thing. He made too many aloof rotations as an off-ball defender at North Carolina, and the speed of NBA offenses will test him even more. He also won’t be sharing the floor with two bigs like he often did in college. On offense, Wilson has never shot jumpers with any consistency at any level, so it’d be a bonus if he can figure that out. And he might have to for Giddey and Buzelis to be optimized. Still, even without the jumper, he has star upside."

Wilson appeared in 24 games for UNC this season. He averaged 19.8 points, 9.4 rebounds and 2.7 assists per contest while shooting 57.8% from the field, 25.9% from beyond the arc and 71.3% from the free-throw line. 

Wilson was named a second-team Associated Press All-American, a distinction that will ensure he is included among the honored jerseys in the Smith Center rafters.

Many draft scouts have compared Wilson to six-time NBA All-Star Jermaine O'Neal. If Wilson can have a career like O'Neal's, that would be a huge success.

The Bulls haven't made the playoffs since 2022. If they land Wilson, Chicago's rebuild will get accelerated. 

The Bulls, of course, drafted UNC legend Michael Jordan with the third overall pick in the 1984 draft. Jordan is universally recognized as the greatest basketball player of all time. He won five MVPs, six championships, six Finals MVPs, 10 scoring titles and one Defensive Player of the Year with Chicago. 

The Washington Wizards have the first overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft. They can take Wilson, Cameron Boozer, AJ Dybantsa or Darryn Peterson.

After the Wizards, it's the Utah Jazz, Memphis Grizzlies and Bulls. Wilson will not go past No. 4. 

Tar Heels Roundtable also offers a fan community and message board. We’d love to have you join us to talk all things North Carolina Tar Heels. Click the “Join” button at the top of the page to join our community for free.