The Chicago Bulls have officially wrapped up a potentially franchise-altering first round.
While they will have two more picks in tomorrow’s second round at No. 38 and No. 56, two of the Bulls’ most important decisions of the offseason were made on Tuesday night. The organization selected North Carolina’s Caleb Wilson with the No. 4 pick in the draft and Texas’ Dailyn Swain with No. 15. Aside from an unexpected trade for big man Nic Claxton on Draft Night Eve, this represents the first roster decisions made by new lead executive Bryson Graham.
Indeed, the two selections fit a very similar archetype. Both are long and athletic wings who are known to do the bulk of their damage in the paint. Shooting is a question mark for each, but they are undoubtedly two of the most intriguing two-way prospects in this 2026 class.
Let’s grade each individual selection before deciding on a comprehensive grade for Round 1.
Caleb Wilson Draft Grade (No. 4)
The Chicago Bulls have their best prospect in well over a decade.
All things considered, this decision was about as easy as one could be on draft night. The Bulls came into the night knowing that they would snag whichever player fell to No. 4. And they also knew that this player was more likely than not going to be Caleb Wilson. Heck, even Wilson knew that was the case, as the Bulls represented his only pre-draft workout.
It’s nearly impossible not to like everything about Wilson. He plays with a relentlessly high motor and moves with effortless explosiveness at six-foot-ten. The 19-year-old checks about every box: Strong finisher, transition menace, aggressive rebounder, multi-positional defender, weak-side rim protector, and decent ball-handler. Is he polished in every department? Of course not, but the fact that his skillset is this deep speaks volumes.
The biggest question revolves around his ability to sink shots from long range and shoot off the bounce. However, he’s even given scouts reason to believe this will come with his combine performance and promising free throw shooting/mechanics.
At the end of the day, every team goes into draft night wanting to walk away with a prospect as tantalizing as Caleb Wilson. I mean, how can you not be hyped about a guy who says this:
“I’m always going to do whatever it takes to get better. I want to be the greatest player of all time,” Wilson said after the draft. “You got one of the GOATs in your history right now. So it’s time for another one. I’m hungry. I’m hungry to be the greatest.”
Grade: A
Dailyn Swain Draft Grade (No. 15)
Bryson Graham has a type!
Instead of going with one of the many guards in this year’s class, the new lead executive opted for another long wing. Dailyn Swain is a junior out of Texas who stands six-foot-seven with a six-foot-ten wingspan. He’s improved each year of his college career, starting as a defensive force at Xavier before taking a surprising offensive leap this past season.
Indeed, Swain became Texas’ go-to scorer, averaging 17.3 points a night on a highly efficient 54.2 percent from the field. It’s not an understatement to say he is one of the best downhill finishers in this draft class. He consistently attacks defenses off the bounce and puts pressure on the paint, converting both over and through opposing defenders.
Swain can change speeds at a surprising rate for his size, and he seemingly has an innate feel for navigating the paint to get off a shot he likes. He absolutely feasted at the rim and was among the premier isolation scorers in college basketball. On top of that, he flashed some encouraging passing chops and could become a strong secondary playmaker with good drive-and-kick skills.
Of course, we also have to mention the defense. Swain is a smooth player with good hands and an NBA-ready frame. He was quick to bring up his defensive potential after the draft, suggesting that he expects to lean on this early in his career.
Still, for as much as there is to like with Swain, there are also some obvious question marks. His jump shot has been a problem all throughout college and will need to be a point of focus for the player development staff. With that in mind, it’s kind of hard to envision how effective he can be off the ball. Swain was at his best when he was the focal point and allowed to consistently turn to his ISO-heavy play. But will he prove good enough against NBA defenses to warrant that usage?
This makes him a bit of a strange NBA fit. How many non-shooting scorers exist in today’s NBA, particularly among perimeter players? You essentially have to be a Jimmy Butler, Zion Williamson, or Thompson brother-type. And, well, that’s a big ask!
To be sure, there is still a road to Swain being a good NBA role player without the reliable jump shot. There also weren’t any other obvious picks for the Bulls to make in this spot. That’s why it’s hard for me not to feel decent about it, though the off-ball questions give me a slight pause.
Grade: B-
Final First Round Grade
The Chicago Bulls’ current roster is a bit of a mess. Adding both Caleb Wilson and Dailyn Swain gives the Bulls a hodgepodge of forwards to develop moving forward, let alone a significant lack of shooting.
Bryson Graham didn’t hesitate to bring that up in his post-draft press conference. Unprovoked, he quipped about fans commenting on the current lack of shooting, emphasizing that there is still plenty of work to be done. He also stressed that this is currently a franchise trying to establish a culture and find talent that fits their new two-way identity. Fair enough.
It’s easy to envision both Wilson and Swain fitting into the modern NBA. They are fun picks with fantastic upside, as well as a decent floor. Again, I have my questions about Swain, but those aren’t big enough to drag this draft grade down.
At the end of the day, the Bulls got a potential star in the making with Wilson, and fans should be very excited about where this new era is headed.
Grade: A-
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