Heel Tough Blog: Caleb Wilson Drafted 4th Overall by Chicago

@ChicagoBulls

For the 56th time, the North Carolina basketball program has produced an NBA first-round draft selection, after the Chicago Bulls drafted Caleb Wilson with the 4th overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft. Wilson, who spent just one season in Chapel Hill, landed with the team he was linked to the most during the NBA Draft pre-process, and becomes the third Tar Heel that the Bulls franchise has spent a first-round selection on to help turn them around, joining Michael Jordan (1984) and Coby White (2019). 

Wilson played just 24 games at UNC due to various hand injuries, but in those 24 games, he averaged 19.8 points, 9.4 rebounds, and 2.7 assists while shooting 58% from the field. Despite having his season cut short, Wilson was still selected to the 2025-26 All-ACC and ACC All-Freshman teams, while earning All-American status. 

Wilson became the first former Tar Heel to be drafted in the Top 5 since the 2005 NBA Draft, which saw both Marvin Williams (2nd) and Raymond Felton (5th), both selected in the Top 5, after winning the 2005 NCAA Tournament.