Chicago Bulls power forward Caleb Wilson wants to be the NBA Rookie of the Year.
“The only advice I’ve gotten is to just take it day by day,” Wilson said of the interim between the draft and the NBA Summer League, which begins July 4. “It’s a whirlwind of time, and it’s kind of hard to just sit back and breathe, but we’re here for basketball. We’re here to be winners and have a great culture and set the tone for this team moving forward.”
Wilson is now the face of a rebuilding Bulls team. Chicago added Bryson Graham as executive vice president in May, then hired former NBA champion forward/center Tiago Splitter as their new head coach. But Wilson recognizes the opportunity ahead of him.
“It’s crazy, honestly,” he said. “[It] sounds like a fresh start, and I feel like we have the things we need to be a great team. I'll step in and be a leader by leading by example, and making sure that I get this city back to where it was. I’m really excited for the opportunity, and I feel like we have a great group of guys around us to make it happen. I’m excited to get to work.”
Wilson met with Graham and Splitter during the pre-draft process, and the two spoke about their plans for the franchise; Wilson believes he aligns with their vision. He said he fits in Splitter’s scheme purely as a basketball player: rebounding, pushing the ball downcourt, creating plays in transition, and setting screens. He says Splitter doesn’t plan on boxing him into a particular role, which suits his playing style.
But he also understands that as the player, the job of building a team culture falls on him. To that end, he trusts Graham to bring in players and coaches that believe in him and let him play his game.
Wilson said he has all the physical tools he needs to be great. But he admitted that he did not always have that athleticism; he modeled his game after Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic in middle and high school because of it, especially his ability to distribute the ball. He also said he took inspiration from Miami Heat forward Giannis Antetokounmpo’s playmaking skills.
Wilson was then asked what kind of rookie season he expects to have.
“I expect to have rookie of the year, honestly,” he said. “I’m going to work hard. I’m going to do what it takes. I feel like the team is really good for me and how I envision to play, and I know I’m a hard worker, so whatever I need to fix and work on throughout the season and before the season, I’m going to work on it so I can be a great player.”
But Wilson wants the accolade to be the first of many in his career. He has repeatedly stated that he wants to be the greatest player of all time—a bold claim for a rookie who will set foot on the same court as the great Michael Jordan. But Wilson said that every player dreams of becoming the GOAT, and that he might as well shoot for the moon.
“I don’t worry about it at all,” he said about his previous comments. “Me saying I want to do something and me putting actions behind it and becoming a great player [are] all things that I feel like I’m capable of. Striving for something is something that we all do. I mean, striving to be the greatest ever, it is a bold thing to say, but that’s what I’m striving for. I’m not striving to be an average or mediocre player. And if I was to tell you that, or anyone, that wouldn’t be good either. I mean, I’m striving to be the best player that has ever played the game, and I’ve been doing that for a long time. So, I’m just going to keep doing that. And if I reach that goal, I do. If I don’t, then at least I know I tried.”
