Bulls New Era
Bulls Draft Caleb Wilson With Fourth Pick, Ending Patrick Williams' Bust Story
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The Chicago Bulls selected North Carolina forward Caleb Wilson with the No. 4 overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, officially opening a new chapter in franchise history theScore. Wilson, a 19-year-old who averaged 19.8 points and 9.4 rebounds per game in his lone college season, arrives as the centerpiece of a total rebuild CBS Sports.
The selection carries a sharp symbolic sting. The last time Chicago held the No. 4 pick — in 2020 — they chose Patrick Williams. Six years later, Williams is averaging just 7.0 points per game on 37.2% shooting and is widely called one of the worst contracts in the NBA Yahoo Sports.
Wilson's Freshman Records Make the Case for Chicago
Wilson set freshman records at UNC this past season. He led the Tar Heels in scoring, rebounding, and steals Star News Online. His 57.8% field goal percentage and 9.4 rebounds per game put him in a different class from most freshmen prospects.
ESPN's Jay Bilas called Wilson the "most dynamic athlete" in the entire 2026 draft class, pointing to his 7-foot wingspan and 39.5-inch vertical Tarheel Blog. Analyst Jay Williams went further, suggesting Wilson could eventually be seen as the best player in this class — ahead of even those drafted before him.
The Patrick Williams Bust Story Reaches Its Official End
Williams was taken fourth overall in 2020 on a bet that his physical tools would eventually click. They never did. The Bulls then signed him in July 2024 to a 5-year, $90 million extension, banking on "untapped potential" that has yet to show up Yahoo Sports.
Wilson now joins Matas Buzelis to form a young frontcourt. Analysts say there are no longer meaningful minutes for Williams in Chicago's new rotation News Observer. His $18 million-per-year deal runs through 2029, making him a difficult trade — likely requiring sweeteners like a future draft pick to move.
New Regime Signals a Clean Break From the Karnišovas Era
Chicago's new Executive VP Bryson Graham has built his philosophy around what he calls "SLAP" — Size, Length, Athleticism, and Physicality. Many analysts read that framing as a direct critique of Williams, who failed to use his physical tools effectively Charlotte Observer.
New head coach Tiago Splitter, a former NBA champion with the San Antonio Spurs, was hired to develop the young core. The Bulls finished 31-51 this past season with a -5.1 Net Rating, ranking 22nd in the league. Graham's mandate is clear: build from scratch, not patch a broken roster Yahoo Sports.
Wilson's Upside Sets Him Apart From the Williams Template
The 2020 draft class was considered weak. Williams was a project who came off the bench at Florida State. The 2026 class is viewed as one of the deepest in decades, featuring prospects like AJ Dybantsa and Cameron Boozer CBS Sports. Wilson was a consensus top-four pick in that stronger field.
Ricky O'Donnell of SB Nation noted that Wilson's ability to put the ball on the floor makes him "a more dynamic prospect than Williams ever was." Wilson is the first Tar Heel drafted in the top five picks in years Charlotte Observer. For Bulls fans, that distinction feels like more than a footnote — it feels like a reset.
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