Just based on potential, it feels like Caleb Wilson has the talent to be a double-double machine as early as his rookie campaign.
What isn’t a wait-and-see for the Bulls’ first-round selection (No. 4 overall), however, is his current ability to double down on bold statements.
Wilson has that down pat.
Three days after the 6-foot-9 forward said of the Bulls that they “have one of the GOATs in y’all history (in Michael Jordan), so it’s time for another one,” his confidence obviously hadn’t taken a hit since.
The Bulls introduced both first round picks on Friday, as No. 15 selection Dailyn Swain joined Wilson and executive vice president of basketball operations Bryson Graham for the press conference, but it was Wilson that again made headlines.
If Swain is the humble, cool addition to the roster, Wilson is the fire. He not only declared that he “expects to have Rookie of the Year, honestly,” adding, “I’m going to work hard. I’m going to do what it takes. I feel like the team is really good for me and how I envision to play,” but explained why he was so confident in his abilities in what is a loaded draft class.
“Me saying I want to do something and me putting the actions behind it and becoming a great player, those are all things that I feel like I’m capable of,” Wilson continued. “Striving for something is something that we all do. Striving to be the greatest ever is, it is a bold thing to say, but that’s what I’m striving for. I’m not striving to be an average or mediocre player. I’m striving to be the best player that’s ever played the game, and I’ve been doing that for a long time.
“And if I reach that goal, I do. If I don’t, then at least I know I tried.”
Swain made it clear that he was also operating with a certain chip on his shoulder but for very different reasons.
“I know there’s a lot of young talent,” the Texas guard said when discussing what lies in front of him with his new team. “I know we are trying to go uphill with this thing, and I think I can help that for sure. I know what I bring from Day 1; defensive versatility, being elite in transition, making the right plays, understanding the game and being a connective player.
“Being able to disrupt the offense, being able to get a lot of deflections, that was my thing in school. I want to be able to impact the game the same way, disrupt the offense, get them out of rhythm, read plays before they happen, get in the passing lanes and help out a teammate on defense.”
No wonder Graham was all smiles when discussing the selection of Swain.
It isn’t often that a team can grab a college kid that led a major program in points (17.3 per game), rebounds (7.5 pg), assists (3.6 pg) and steals (1.6 pg) in the same season, and was on a Longhorns squad that ended the March Madness run for BYU and No. 1 pick AJ Dybantsa in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
What validates the Swain selection even more, however?
Multiple teams were trying to make a deal with the Bulls at that spot to draft him, including a report that indicated Oklahoma City was trying to maneuver into position to grab him. The Thunder seemingly only make smart moves come draft time, so that’s a solid check mark for Graham.
For Swain, however, it was for others to concern themselves over where he was selected.
“People just go off whatever the narrative is when they just look up a mock draft but if you really pay attention to all the media outlets, a lot of the arrangements were different for me,” Swain said. “I was a wide-ranged guy, but I won’t say I was surprised with where I went. If I hadn’t come (to the Bulls) I think I would have been selected really soon after and maybe that would have surprised people.
“It just adds a chip on my shoulder for people that say ‘over drafted’ or whatever the case may be. It’s just an added motivation piece.”