The Chicago Bulls jumped up from No. 6 to No. 4 in the 2026 NBA Draft Lottery, jumping into the coveted top-four spots that all franchises in the lottery were aiming for. While the Bulls will likely have the final preference in a stacked top-four with AJ Dybantsa, Darryn Peterson, Cameron Boozer, and Caleb Wilson, there are plenty of prospects they can target as a franchise-defining selection with the high pick.
The Bulls are undergoing a major franchise makeover, with head coach Billy Donovan stepping down and the team appointing new President Bryson Graham to help the franchise return to winning ways. They already have a foundation with players like Josh Giddey and Matas Buzelis, but the franchise needs to add a piece who can become a franchise cornerstone for the once-legendary franchise that’s made the Playoffs just once since 2017.
The 2026 NBA Draft will bring a lot of fascinating options for the Bulls to evaluate, and a couple of obvious ones. Let’s take a look at the potential prospects the Bulls can target with their No. 4 pick.
5. Nate Ament – Forward, Tennessee
If Nate Ament went No. 4, many draft critics might compare this to the time the Bulls selected Patrick Williams at No. 4 in the 2020 NBA Draft. Ament does have a similar profile to Williams, but this worst-case comparison already might make the Bulls shy away from taking such a huge risk. Nonetheless, there are plenty of indicators that show Ament could have one of the highest ceilings in the 2026 NBA Draft, provided he goes to a franchise that can develop his potential.
Ament entered the NCAA season as a top-five pick prospect, who has slid down to the middle of the lottery in recent mocks after a tricky season with the Volunteers. He measured in at 6’9.5″ barefoot and 211 pounds with a 6’11.5″ wingspan and 9’1.5″ standing reach.
Ament is a skilled on-ball player with shooting upside. This is the kind of archetype most NBA teams love to take a gamble on. If the Bulls’ new front office wants to make a statement, selecting Ament at No. 4 would definitely be that. They probably shouldn’t do this, as they could trade down and get Ament quite easily by offering another team in the lottery a chance to jump up, but it would be a huge swing that could be a massive homerun or a terrible flop.
He averaged 16.7 points, 6.3 rebounds, 2.3 assists, and 1.0 steals on 39.9% from the field and 33.3% from three last season. He could be a fantastic fit in the frontcourt in the long-term alongside Buzelis, although he will enter the NBA as a raw prospect. If the Bulls feel confident in him to select him at No. 4, they likely believe in themselves to help him reach his ceiling as potentially the best player in the Draft in 10 years.
4. Darius Acuff Jr. – Guard, Arkansas
Darius Acuff Jr. was one of the most impressive guards in the NCAA season last year, averaging 23.5 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 6.4 assists for the Arkansas Razorbacks and establishing himself as a potential top-five pick in the Draft. Some scouts believe Acuff is the best guard available after Peterson, so the Bulls will have to consider him as a prospect as a potential long-term answer to their backcourt.
Acuff measured in at the combine at 6’2″ barefoot and 186 pounds, with a 6’7″ wingspan and 8’2.5″ standing reach. This has raised red flags around the NBA. However, his game-changing offensive ability is what’s made him become such a highly-touted prospect despite the obvious size concerns.
He was a highly efficient scorer with 48.4% from the field and 44.0% from three, while committing just 2.3 turnovers per game despite averaging 6.4 assists. He is a genuine three-level scorer with the offensive feel we’ve seen demonstrated by most point guards in the NBA.
Acuff would be a great pick-and-roll partner with Buzelis and presents a scoring threat at guard that Giddey doesn’t. Unfortunately, this wouldn’t be the best guard fit for the Bulls in the 2026 NBA Draft, primarily because Acuff’s size might create genuine defensive shortcomings that the Bulls would struggle to overcome if Giddey remains on the roster.
Acuff might be a better prospect for the Bulls if they didn’t already have Giddey, so trying to play them together might present challenges, especially defensively.
3. Keaton Wagler – Guard, Illinois
A more reasonable pick for the Bulls from outside the pre-determined pool of top-four prospects is Illinois guard Keaton Wagler. Wagler is projected as a mid-lottery pick but is a candidate to jump up after measuring in as a 6’5″ barefoot and 188 pounds, with a 6’6.25″ wingspan and 8’4″ standing reach.
He can do a little bit of everything, averaging 17.9 points, 5.1 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 0.9 steals, and 0.4 blocks over his freshman season, shooting 44.5% from the field and 39.7% from three. for a .596 true shooting percentage.
Wagler could complete the Bulls’ backcourt alongside Josh Giddey, given they already have a potential frontcourt star in Buzelis on the roster. This creates a core trio for Chicago to build around, with Wagler completing many of the deficiencies in Giddey’s game. He’s a competent shooter and has been a productive perimeter defender in college. While he likely would take a season to adjust to the pace of the NBA, this might be the perfect fit-over-talent pick for the Bulls.
Wagler’s well-rounded offensive skill set will allow him to take the reins of the offense in Giddey’s absence while also serving as an elite secondary playmaker alongside the Australian guard. The transient nature of the Bulls’ roster also means that the franchise can fill out their core with players in mind to complement the skill sets of the stars on its roster, and Wagler, if need be.
He’s a modern NBA guard with size and two-way ability, and would be the best pick for the Bulls if they want another guard instead of a frontcourt player.
2. Cameron Boozer – Forward, Duke
We have to consider both the likely players who’ll remain available from the top four at No. 4 for the Bulls. We start with Duke forward Cameron Boozer, who might be the perfect positional fit for the Bulls. He’s been playing as a power forward, but his NBA Draft combine measurements of 6’8.25″ barefoot and 253 pounds, with a 7’1.5″ wingspan and 9’0″ standing reach show that he could be a very effective small-ball center in the NBA.
He could be a small-ball center as well as an explosive power forward in the modern NBA. The only reason Boozer ranks at No. 2 instead of No. 1 is that the likelihood that he goes off the board in the top three is currently higher.
He averaged 22.5 points, 10.2 rebounds, 4.1 assists, and 1.4 steals with the Blue Devils last season, being named the ACC Tournament MVP for his performances. He’d be the No. 1 pick in the Draft, going by advanced stats, since Boozer has a 12.7 offensive BPM, 6.0 defensive BPM, and 18.7 total BPM over his freshman season. His statistical profile mirrors last year’s runaway No. 1 pick Cooper Flagg, so this could be tremendous value for the Bulls if Boozer falls to No. 4.
Going to the Bulls means following in his father’s footsteps, as Carlos Boozer spent four seasons with the Bulls himself. This selection might mean the Bulls start playing an experimental offensive style by relying on Boozer as their center with Jalen Smith as a rotational option, but that all depends on him even being available at No. 4. If he is, it seems like a no-brainer for the Bulls to select him over any of the other prospects below him.
1. Caleb Wilson – Forward, Kentucky
Caleb Wilson looks to be the most likely selection for the Bulls at No. 4. Our own mock draft has Wilson currently going to the Bulls at No. 4 because he’ll likely be the best-remaining prospect at that slot. Everybody expects the Bulls’ decision to be either Wilson or Boozer to bolster their frontcourt based on whichever one is available. Wilson is considered more likely to be available at No. 4 after averaging 19.8 points, 9.4 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 1.5 steals, and 1.4 blocks in his sole season with the Kentucky Wildcats.
Wilson is the prototypical modern NBA forward, measuring in at 6’9.25″ barefoot and 211 pounds, with a 7’0.25″ wingspan and 9’0″ standing reach at the 2026 NBA Draft Combine. Wilson brings jump-out-of-the-gym athleticism and a defensive ceiling that many consider to be among the best in this draft. Wilson projects to be one of the strongest defenders in the NBA, both on the perimeter and the interior, due to his speed and quick reflexes, along with his ability to protect the rim with his jumping ability.
Boozer is a choice who could play both power forward and center, but Wilson has shown he could even be an option at small forward with his mobility. This makes him the best prospect for the Bulls, who are looking to reshape their franchise around a star to build around. Wilson might be that star, although his offensive tools, like his three-point shot, might need some time to develop at the NBA level. However, it does seem like he’ll be an elite defender from day one and will be a great winning piece for the Bulls to build around.
