UNC's Caleb Wilson Opens Up About Possibly Being Drafted by Chicago Bulls

During an interview with ESPN from the 2026 NBA Finals in San Antonio, former North Carolina Tar Heels big man Caleb Wilson spoke about possibly being drafted by the Chicago Bulls. 

The Bulls have the fourth overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft and they have been heavily linked to Wilson. 

The Bulls haven't made the playoffs since 2022. Their rebuild would get accelerated with Wilson in the fold.

Wilson appeared in 24 games for UNC this past 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.

On Feb. 10, Wilson broke a bone in his left hand when he attempted to block a shot and fell to the ground. Then, on March 5, Wilson fractured his right thumb when he struck the rim during a practice drill.

Wilson arrived at the NBA Draft Combine in Chicago with both hands fully healthy and a renewed appreciation for the game heading into the 2026 NBA Draft.

"I never really felt like my hand injury was a setback," Wilson said, via The Athletic. "Of course, I was heartbroken when it happened. But my hand's perfectly fine now, and I feel like it offered me a different perspective on basketball in general, just because once I injured my hand, now I'm way more grateful to play. Every day I wake up and I get the opportunity to play and just be able to shoot and dribble and stuff like that. I just feel grateful for the opportunity, and I wasn’t as grateful as I am now."     

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. 

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.

It would be pretty cool to see Wilson follow in Jordan's footsteps by playing for the Bulls. Let's see if it happens. 

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