Hey there, Last Night In Basketballers — I am, as I do every year, re-appropriating the Three Things I Noticed on League Pass format to preview the upcoming season. Instead of three things I noticed, it’ll be something more along the lines of three things I’m looking forward to, interested in, or want to see. Some of them might be narrative-based, some might be stats, and some might include video. But they'll all be focused on the 2026-27 campaign.
The schedule for those posts will be as follows (podcasts previewing each division with Mo Dakhil are in parentheses):
- Atlantic Division (BOS, BKN, NYK, PHI, TOR) (Podcast)
- Central Division (CHI, CLE, DET, IND, MIL) (Podcast)
- Southeast Division (ATL, CHA, MIA, ORL, WAS) (Podcast)
- Pacific Division (GSW, LAC, LAL, PHX, SAC) (Podcast)
- Northwest Division (DEN, MIN, OKC, POR, UTA) (Podcast)
- Southwest Division (DAL, HOU, MEM, NOP, SAS) (Podcast)
So without further ado, let's get to the Chicago Bulls, who finally seem like they have some direction.
Caleb Wilson, to the moon
I'm probably more excited for Wilson than I am for any other rookie. He was really fun to watch to begin with, and that was with questions about his ability and willingness to shoot outside the immediate area of the rim. And then he came out and starting ripping threes in Summer League.
We know from work by Kevin Pelton, among others, that while three-point percentage doesn't necessarily translate from Summer League to the regular season (if I'm remember the piece he wrote correctly, it actually has an inverse correlation), three-point rate is generally stickier. If Wilson is going to shoot threes, in addition to everything else he brings to the table, that is potentially exhilarating stuff.
It's not all about the threes, obviously. He's a really good athlete, checking in in the 75th percentile for a big and in the 80s for a combo forward in bSPARQ. (He's classified as a big on that page because the NBA listed him as a power forward at the combine and positions are automated for bSPARQ.) He's got great size and length. He should be a good defender, if not right away, then eventually. He's going to be phenomenal in transition. (Josh Giddey will help enormously on that front, I think.) And he's going to absolutely yam on people.
I'm assuming he's going to start right away alongside Matas Buzelis at the forward spots, and if they each reach their potential, that could be one of the more fun forward duos in the league. There's a lot of skill and versatility there, along with the aforementioned size, length, and athleticism. I can't wait to watch them running the floor together.