Bulls rookie Caleb Wilson reveals why he cried before historic Summer League debut

Wilson’s final college appearance came Feb. 10 against Miami, when he fractured a bone in his left hand. He later broke his right thumb during a non-contact practice drill on March 5 and required surgery, ending his freshman season. North Carolina subsequently lost to VCU in overtime during the NCAA Tournament before announcing that Hubert Davis would not return after five seasons as head coach.

Caleb Wilson turns emotional return into historic Bulls debut

Wilson responded to that difficult five-month stretch with a spectacular first performance for Chicago. His 35 points in 33 minutes were a game high. Wilson shot 12-of-21 from the field and 7-of-11 from three-point range while adding five rebounds, three blocks, and two steals.

The 35-point effort set a record for the most points by a player making his Las Vegas Summer League debut. Wilson also knocked down half of the Bulls 14 three-pointers and buried a deep shot at the buzzer, cutting Memphis’ final advantage to one point.

His perimeter shooting provided the most encouraging takeaway Friday night. Wilson made only 25.9 percent of his three-point attempts at North Carolina, so his seven conversions are especially noteworthy. He displayed confidence on catch-and-shoot opportunities, pull-ups and step-back jumpers rather than relying only on his athleticism around the basket.

The performance still showed areas requiring development. Wilson committed six turnovers, recorded no assists and occasionally forced offense through traffic. One Summer League game cannot erase every concern or establish his long-term ceiling.

However, it offered an immediate glimpse of why the Bulls invested a top-four pick in him. Wilson began the evening crying over everything he had lost during his absence. He ended it with a record-setting scoring performance and a powerful first step into the next stage of his professional career.