The Chicago Bulls started off the 2026 NBA Draft in the way that many expected— by selecting forward Caleb Wilson out of North Carolina fourth overall. There were, of course, other ways this could've broken. But things went the projected route, and the Bulls now have their two-way star of the future.
In terms of jumpstarting their rebuild, they couldn't have gotten a much better gift. Wilson averaged 19.8 points, 9.4 rebounds, and 2.7 assists while shooting 57.8% from the field across 24 games at North Carolina this past season. While he needs to fill out his frame and polish his scoring abilities to move closer toward his ceiling, the upside there is immense.
But that wasn't Chicago's only selection of the first round. The 15th overall pick arguably held more intrigue over the course of the past month, and the Bulls used it to take a bit of a swing, drafting sharpshooting wing Dailyn Swain out of Texas.
Both prospects will need time to develop. But in the next few seasons, Swain could grow into the perfect complement for someone of Wilson's skill-set. Even with the doubts that surround Swain, it's a hugely exciting pairing.
Dailyn Swain could quickly develop into the prime partner for Caleb Wilson
Wilson undoubtedly has the potential to grow into one of the league's premier two way stars. At 6'9", he has both the length to be both a formidable rim protector and the athletic skill-set to be a mobile defender in space. If he can continue to gain strength and work on his shooting touch, there's no reason to think he can't be the number one option on an NBA team.
But if there's one major knock to make against his game, it's his perimeter shooting. Wilson shot just 25.9% from beyond the arc in his lone season at North Carolina. He only sunk his free throws at 71.3% rate. Not all is lost on Wilson as a shooter, but it will take quite a while for him to develop into any sort of floor-spacer at the NBA level.
Although Swain's numbers weren't spectacular at Texas (he shot just 34.4% on 2.6 attempts per game),there was steady improvement over each season he spent in college. His mechanics are solid, and his career 81.5% free-throw percentage leaves ample room to see him growing into a strong shooter at the NBA level. Combine that with everything else he provides— strong defense, off-ball movement, ample playmaking upside, and a reliable handle in isolation situations— and Swain is certainly the type of player that can evolve into a true NBA-caliber wing.
With a frontcourt that now projects to hold both Wilson and Matas Buzelis, a player of Swain's archetype will be necessary to provide the right dosing of spacing alongside Josh Giddey in the backcourt.
Swain certainly doesn't have the same level of two-way upside as Wilson. But if Wilson is going to be the Bulls' star of the future, they need to surround him with capable shooters and on-ball defenders. Swain, over time, could prove to be exactly that type of player.
Add us as a preferred source on Google