Caleb Wilson and the harsh reality of his first NBA season
The Chicago Bulls’ start to the season has gone as expected, but Caleb Wilson shifts the focus to the team’s attitude – and each player’s approach
After a Summer League and preseason buildup that made plenty of observers sit up and take notice, Caleb Wilson’s introduction to Adam Silver’s league has featured some difficult shooting nights, but also encouraging signs of leadership.
He’s averaging 21.2 points, 6.7 rebounds and 2.5 assists, while his Chicago Bulls share last place in the Eastern Conference with the Brooklyn Nets and Milwaukee Bucks. In other words, everything is going as expected entering the season.
Yet speaking with Joel Lorenzi of ClutchPoints, the North Carolina product showed awareness, realism and self-belief in equal measure.
I know this will be the year I lose the most in my life. I’m in the NBA now, and we’re not the team we want to be in the future
Caleb Wilson
Wins will necessarily be scarce for now. The coming seasons remain blank pages waiting to be written.
Losing games doesn’t make you a loser. But your approach to losing and to basketball – the way you play – is what makes you a loser
Caleb Wilson
Even recent NBA history offers plenty of examples of All-Stars who endured loss-filled seasons upon entering the league. One is Giannis Antetokounmpo, drafted in 2013 by a Bucks team that would finish the following year with 15 wins and 67 losses.
Wilson’s athleticism and skill already guarantee him a place in the highlights. A place among the NBA’s greats will depend on his growth and his team’s – something visible now only in the seeds being planted.