On Tuesday, the unequivocal launch of the Bryson Graham-era of the Chicago Bulls was ushered in by selecting foundational players in North Carolina Tar Heels forward Caleb Wilson fourth overall, and Texas Longhorns forward Dailyn Swain 15th overall.
Following the conclusion of the first night of the 2026 NBA Draft, Bulls lead front office executive Bryson Graham addressed the Bulls media and stuck a strong landing in explaining his roster vision and the process that drove the results of the Bulls’ 2026 NBA Draft first round selections.
Compared to his immediate Bulls predecessor, Arturas Karnisovas, Graham was informative and engaging in explaining his front office’s strategy in selecting Wilson and Swain, while also being candid about the obvious limitations in both players' shooting abilities.
For example, Graham gave a window into his critical eye for evaluating the shooting skills of both players: “Both players, I think [their shooting] mechanics are sound. Both shots are compact,” in response to a question by Joel Lorenzi of The Athletic.
Graham also struck an intriguing balance of acknowledging he and his staff executed a specific process to select Wilson and Swain, while also being very open to taking phone calls to discuss trade opportunities, even while on the clock to make their selections.
Another refreshing contrast Graham struck in his press conference was explicitly citing defense as the core identity of his Bulls roster and identifying an expectation for Wilson and Swain to be “tone setters” for the Bulls’ defensive efforts.
The days of playing one-way offensive lineups of three or four guards appear to be over, based on the words AND actions of Bryson Graham on his first Bulls draft night. What Graham does on night two should be an exciting encore for Bulls fans.
Setting the stage for 2026 NBA Draft night two
The guard depth of the second round of the 2026 NBA Draft is expected to be abundant, as Meleek Thomas is viewed as the best available guard headlining the second round. Could the Bulls also consider bolstering their center depth in the second round?
An intriguing backup center selection for Graham to consider should be Purdue Boilermakers center Oscar Cluff, whose game should resonate well with Bulls head Tiago Splitter. Cluff is 6’11” and 255 pounds of pure hustle as an offensive rebounder with great instincts for finding putback opportunities at the rim. Cluff averaged 3.3 offensive rebounds per game in his senior 2025-26 NCCA men's basketball season for the Boilermakers.
Cluff is primarily a drop coverage big, and that shouldn’t be a concern for a Bulls roster that suddenly looks like a switchable demon defense between Wilson, Swain, and Matas Buzelis.
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