The Bulls pulled off what they hope is an NBA Draft performance that gets the franchise back on track with a distinct physical formula.
The Chicago Bulls remain an iconic NBA franchise in one of the biggest markets in the United States, but they are a team searching for a new identity after four straight losing seasons and just 31 wins in 2025-26.
With a completely new front office led by new executive vice president of basketball operations Bryson Graham, the Bulls were armed with two first-round draft picks in Tuesday's NBA Draft to begin a turnaround.
Chicago went chalk with North Carolina wing Caleb Wilson at No. 4 overall. One spot outside of the lottery, the Bulls added former Texas Longhorns combo guard Dailyn Swain.
Both players, Graham says, fit how the Bulls want to rebuild under recently-hired head coach Tiago Splitter.
"We’re getting there and definitely not where we want to be," Graham said after the draft. "But we're establishing an identity. I think that’s really important for this organization, especially where we're at right now. Both Caleb and Dailyn, they fit the bill."
Said reporter Jon Greenberg of The Athletic, "For too long, the Bulls have been a team without a plan. Tall, athletic, and physical with a little personality isn’t a bad start."
Wilson and Swain create an extremely athletic combo that can impact the game on both ends, each without needing the ball in their hands at all times.
"On paper and in the sizzle reel, the 6-foot-10, 215-pound Wilson looks like a godsend for the Bulls, an electric, long-limbed forward with charisma to spare," Greenberg said.
"He’s going to be a great player," Graham added. "We’re going to do everything we can to get him there. We know that his development is going to obviously take time. But that mentality is what we want in this building. And we’re really, really excited about it."
And for Swain - who led the Sweet 16 Longhorns in points, rebounds, assists and steals under coach Sean Miller - versatility is key. The perimeter jump shot still needs improvements to reach NBA standards, but Graham claimed that he's "not worried about that right now," instead choosing Swain for his mentality and growth potential.
That chance for stardom is most seen in Swain's knack for getting to the basket.
"Last season, Swain, who measured at 6-6 1/2 at the combine with a 6-10 wingspan, averaged 17.3 points and 7.5 rebounds for the Longhorns as a successful paint producer," Greenberg noted. "According to The Athletic’s draft guide, he averaged 6.6 shots at the rim this season, per Synergy, and most of those looks were self-created."
To put it into an acronym, Swain's SLAP - or "size, length, athleticism, and physicality," a Graham preference - is what makes him a natural addition to a Bulls roster featuring, well, other "slappers" like Wilson, Matas Buzelis and Noa Essengue.
"Defensive versatility, transition, making the right plays, being a connective player," Swain said about what he wants his role to be in the league. "I see myself doing that from Day 1 and developing into whatever the team needs from me."
