Undoubtedly, Caleb Wilson will be the face of the Chicago Bulls this season. The No. 4 rookie out of North Carolina is expected to help usher in a new era of basketball in Chicago after years of stagnation.
On Tuesday, ESPN officially released its Top 100 NBA players list for this season. Wilson was featured alongside three other Chicago players. The others were Matas Buzelis, Norman Powell, and Josh Giddey.
Wilson was listed at No. 97. Meanwhile, Buzelis was ranked No. 88, Powell at No. 86, and Giddey at No. 80.
Out of all the high-profile rookies, Wilson got first dibs on the list.
“Wilson is the first of four rookies on this list, which befits the No. 4 pick from the most recent draft,” Zach Kram wrote. “He's an extraordinary athlete with immense potential, and he even flashed unexpected 3-point range at summer league (42% on 7.8 attempts per game).”
Additionally, Kram evoked the name of Derrick Rose while also mentioning the vulnerabilities that come with being a newbie.
“Like all rookies, he'll undergo growing pains this season — he committed 21 turnovers to just seven assists during summer league — but he's the Bulls' most compelling prospect since Derrick Rose,” Kram said.
In 2008, the Bulls drafted Rose, and the following year he became Rookie of the Year.
Meanwhile, Wilson is coming off a successful NBA Summer League in Las Vegas. Altogether, he averaged 23.5 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 2.5 blocks.
The Bulls' training camp is set to begin next week. Afterward, the first preseason game will be on Wednesday, Oct. 7, against the Phoenix Suns. Then, Wilson and company will begin the regular season on Oct. 21 against the Toronto Raptors on the road.