Caleb Wilson stars in Summer League debut, upset about Chicago Bulls loss

It was a historic debut for Chicago Bulls rookie Caleb Wilson on Friday night. Wilson waited months for his return to the basketball court after suffering an injury in early February. And he didn’t waste any time making a good first impression.

Wilson scored 35 total points in 33 minutes for the Bulls on Friday. He led all scorers and made 7 of his 11 three-point attempts. The wing was able to showcase his shooting which was a concern for many in the predraft process.

The 35 points were the second-most by any player in the modern NBA Summer League era. But even with the big performance, Wilson showed his team-first mentality.

Caleb Wilson shines but is upset with Chicago Bulls loss

Caleb Wilson Chicago Bulls — LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – JULY 10: Caleb Wilson #8 of the Chicago Bulls drives against Javon Small #10 of the Memphis Grizzlies in the first half of a 2026 NBA Summer League game at the Thomas & Mack Center on July 10, 2026 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

While the focus was on Wilson and his battle with Cameron Boozer, the Bulls often trailed in this game. They made a few runs to cut into the Grizzlies’ lead but could never get over the hump. And after the game, Wilson referenced how the Bulls’ lost the game rather than his achievement.

“We lost,” Wilson said postgame. “That’s my goal to come here and win. Of course it’s cool but somebody is going to break it one day. I’m happy I got the record, but I’m ready to move onto what’s next. We have another game to play soon.”

In addition to that, Wilson pointed to the turnovers he had and boxing out on rebounds as two areas needed for improvement.

Told that his 35 points set an unofficial NBA Summer League record for most points in a debut, Caleb Wilson said “we lost.”

Before this, the first thing he cited when asked how he played was too many TOs and missed boxouts. pic.twitter.com/DPUJ6UWZIa

— K.C. Johnson (@KCJHoop) July 11, 2026

On Friday, Wilson was also able to showcase his shooting a bit. He opened up his game a little more by taking some outside shots. That allowed him to build confidence in his offensive game.

For Wilson, it’s important to show that team-first mentality. The individual performance was impressive but at the end of the day, the goal is to win. Wilson appears to be a good first step in setting the foundation for long-term success for the franchise once again.

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