Chicago Bulls: Kansas-Villanova Final Four features potential draft prospect

The NCAA Final Four is set for Saturday with Villanova taking on Kansas in a game that will feature potential first-round draft picks.

The 2022 NBA Draft is two and a half months away, but the first round is being shaped in March. The March Madness Tournament has always been the place where players make their case for the next level. This year’s tournament has been no different. Saturday’s Final Four will feature prospects on both ends, and one who could be a perfect fit for the Chicago Bulls when the time comes.

The Kansas Jayhawks are the only No. 1 seed remaining in the tournament, largely because of their experience and depth. They have a combined 29 tournament games under their belt and have squeaked out wins against the country’s best throughout the year. Each player is battle tested and understands their role, making them the Final Four favorite.

Their small forward, Jalen Wilson, is one of their key contributors thats makes them a lethal team. Kansas can score with best, but their defense is what has kept them afloat this season. Wilson is the anchor of that defense and is always in the mix on crucial offensive possessions.

On the other hand, Chicago has struggled to find its defensive identity without Lonzo Ball. They have allowed more points in the three months without Ball and are below .500 in that stretch. Even with Ball returning, his absence showed that the team overall needs an upgrade on the wing if they want to be true contenders. While they have options with the offseason approaching, drafting a wing defender would be the cheapest of the choices, and considering Zach LaVine’s free agency status, the Bulls need to operate on a tighter than usual budget.

Wilson is the 3-and-D player that the Bulls could grab for the wing role and mold into the key contributor.

Kansas’ Jalen Wilson could be the piece that upgrades the Bulls from second-tier to contenders

Wilson entered college as a face-up post player. His 6-foot-8 frame and athleticism allowed him to dominate down low in high school, but at Kansas that wasn’t going to be the case. Jayhawks head coach Bill Self knew that Wilson would need to transition to the wing to reach his ceiling as a college player. A pre-season injury sidelined him for his freshman year, giving him an entire season to build more strength and develop on the wing.

In his redshirt-freshman season, he averaged 12 points and 8 rebounds per game and made the Big 12 All-Freshman Team. He stepped up as Kansas’ defensive stopper and was integral in initiating the offense — a big step for a kid who played the post in high school.

This season he took an even bigger jump, becoming an outside scoring threat. His 3-point shooting leaped from 26% to 33% and his overall shooting from the field is 46%. He’s the Jayhawks most valuable player not because he can score, but because he can step into whatever role the team needs. 

The Bulls are missing that kind of versatility right now. Alex Caruso has been trying to be the guy who can go from playing off-ball to dictating the offense and then locking down the other team’s scorer. But his size has made the latter difficult.

Wilson would allow Chicago to have a big lineup that can switch on defense and not have an offensive drop-off. His progress through his three years at Kansas has shown that he’s able to develop and can do it quickly.

The Bulls are currently are projected to have the 27th pick in the NBA Draft if the season were to end today. As Kansas and Villanova tip off Saturday, fans need to keep an eye on Wilson in what could be a career-defining game for the youngster.