Chicago Bulls forward Caleb Wilson has been as good as advertised, showcasing the all-around skill set and high motor that made him the No. 4 pick in the NBA Draft in June.

Wilson has been putting up big numbers, averaging 20.8 points, 7.0 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 1.8 steals, and 1.4 blocks. His accuracy, however, needs to improve, as he is shooting only 41.3% from the field.

The 20-year-old rookie is still adjusting, and he learned a lesson against the New York Knicks on Wednesday. With 1:40 left in the fourth quarter and the Bulls trailing by five points, coach Tiago Splitter screamed at Wilson to provide a double-team on Jalen Brunson. But Wilson hesitated for a bit. By the time he came over, it was too late. Brunson buried the three-pointer to put the game away. The Knicks beat the Bulls, 133-127.

"Splitter is apoplectic"

Tiago Splitter and the Bulls

Scream for the double on Brunson

Too late 🗡️ pic.twitter.com/4TBQweGAmm

— New York Basketball (@NBA_NewYork) October 29, 2026

After the game, Wilson admitted that it was tough to play against the Knicks, tipping his hat to multiple players, as shared by New York Basketball.

“Jalen Brunson was cold. I've been through that, though. Then KAT (Karl-Anthony Towns), he's huge. He just makes the right decision, can shoot, trail threes, just plays basketball really well. Honestly, they're just a good team. OG's (Anunoby) really good too, really physical, hard to go against, hard to score against. They just have a really well-rounded team. Even Jordan Clarkson came off the bench and finished it. He played really well,” said Wilson.

“We get to play them again next week at their place. We'll learn from this, and hopefully, we can go out there and get a win.”

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Wilson had 20 points on 7-of-18 shooting from the field, six rebounds, four assists, two steals, and one block in a game-high 38 minutes.

He will encounter more challenges and make more mistakes along the way. But everything is part of the process. He will have to be a sponge to figure out the nuances of the NBA.

Luckily for him, he has a slew of seasoned teammates to teach him, including Norman Powell, Jalen Smith, Isaac Okoro, Tre Jones, and Zach Collins.