Chicago Bulls select forwards Caleb Wilson, Dailyn Swain in 2026 NBA Draft
The 2026 NBA Draft is underway at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York, and the Chicago Bulls have their No. 4 and No. 15 overall picks.
For the Bulls, Caleb Wilson was selected as the No. 4 overall draft pick. NBA.com noted that Wilson worked out for Bulls basketball operations staff and met with new Bulls head coach Tiago Splitter just last week.
An Atlanta native, the 19-year-old Wilson played his freshman year of college for North Carolina. In 24 games, he averaged 19.8 points, 9.4 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 1.5 steals, and 1.4 blocks, and shot 57.8% overall, NBA.com noted.
Wilson becomes the third North Carolina player the Bulls have drafted in the first round. The Bulls selected Michael Jordan third overall in 1984 and Coby White seventh in 2019.
"I'm always going to do whatever it takes to get better," Wilson said. "I want to be the greatest player of all time, man. Y'all got one of the GOATs in y'all's history right now. So it's time for another one. I'm hungry. I'm hungry to be the greatest."
Wilson's lone college season ended prematurely when he broke his right thumb in a non-contact drill while trying to come back from a fracture in his left hand. He still earned second-team Associated Press All-America honors while averaging 19.8 points and 9.4 rebounds.
"I feel great, better than ever," Wilson said. "Been working on my hand strength, so I'll never have to go through something like that again."
According to the Bulls, Wilson has become the team's sixth pick at No. 4 in team history and is the 17th top-five pick in team history.
For the No. 15 overall pick, the Bulls selected Dailyn Swain from the University of Texas.
Swain played two seasons at Xavier before transferring to Texas, and averaged 17.3 points, 7.5 rebounds and 3.6 assists.
Notable Chicago-area players selected in the 2026 NBA draft
Wilson's pick wasn't the only win for Chicago.
Fighting Illini star Keaton Wragler was drafted as the No. 5 overall pick for the L.A. Clippers.
Just coming off a March Madness appearance last season as a freshman for the Illini, Wragler averaged 17.9 points, 5.1 rebounds and 4.2 assists. Shot 39.7% on 3s, hitting nine 3s in a 46-point outburst against Purdue.
Thornton Township High School alum Morez Johnson was picked at No. 9 for the Dallas Mavericks.
The draft kicked off with the Washington Wizards having the No. 1 overall pick, followed by the Utah Jazz and the Memphis Grizzlies.
Each team was given five minutes to make their decisions from the pool of prospects hoping to make it into the league.
CBS Sports reports this year's NBA Draft has been deemed one of the best classes in recent memory.
