This year’s draft class has certainly shown out at the Las Vegas Summer League. With some incredible performances by the lottery picks, there is enough reason for fans to look forward to their displays during the regular season. Among these, however, Chicago Bulls rookie Caleb Wilson demands specific attention.
The Bulls’ rookie has been nothing short of spectacular at the Summer League. After a monster 37-point outing in his debut game, Caleb Wilson announced himself to the NBA. While several noted his potential, during a recent episode of the “All NBA Podcast,” Wilson drew high praise from former NBA player and analyst Tim Legler.
“He could turn into a combination of KD and KG. It’s unreal. And here’s what I mean by that,” Legler began. “For the Kevin Durant part, it’s what you just said. His ability to run your offense through him on the perimeter, from 30 feet. Give him the basketball. Let him handle, create, get into his own… Puts pressure on defenses and draws multiple defenders as a face-up offensive player.”
“The KG part is… For me, Kevin Garnett is the greatest four defender I’ve ever seen. His ability, intensity, communication skills, and his want to defend at seven feet tall was as good as anything I’ve ever seen.”
“So, if he can have that level of commitment, intensity, and desire to be that great defensively, combined with the versatile offensive skill set of Kevin Durant, now you’re talking about one of the all-time greats,” he continued.
While it could be argued that Legler is mildly exaggerating Caleb Wilson’s potential by referring to him as a combination of Kevin Durant and Kevin Garnett, he would not be the first person to rate the Bulls’ rookie this highly.
Although Wilson is widely regarded as one of the most athletic players in his draft class, the 19-year-old’s physical tools and potential have also garnered some attention. To that point, even four-time NBA champion Draymond Green was immensely bullish about his potential, boldly stating that Wilson’s floor was Kevin Garnett.
Defensively, Wilson has shown the potential to be elite. While possessing terrific instincts, the forward is capable of guarding multiple positions, justifying the comparisons to Kevin Garnett. However, the comparisons to Kevin Durant may require further observation.
For what it’s worth, Caleb Wilson has a clear idea of who he is as a player. While noting the need to improve upon his perimeter shooting to excel at the next level, Wilson embraced a grueling shooting workout to address his shortcomings.
It goes without saying that this has already paid off. After three Summer League appearances, Caleb Wilson is averaging 24.3 points, 7.0 rebounds, 1.3 steals, and 3.0 blocks per game while shooting a phenomenal 50.9% from the field and 48.0% from three-point range.
As a player who is committed to greatness, the sky is certainly the limit for the 19-year-old. With the Bulls also taking a significant step toward rebuilding this summer, selecting Caleb Wilson may have landed Chicago its next franchise player.
