The Chicago Bulls made one of the surprise selections in a relatively chalk first round of the 2026 NBA Draft when they nabbed Texas wing Dailyn Swain with the 15th pick.
Fans unfamiliar with the 20-year-old should be thrilled to hear one Longhorns expert's NBA comp for Swain: New York Knicks superstar Jalen Brunson.
Bulls executive VP of basketball operations Bryson Graham doubled down on his promise of building a roster full of SLAP players (size, length, athleticism, physicality) by taking Swain 11 picks after landing UNC forward Caleb Wilson.
That pair, along with Matas Buzelis and Nic Claxton, have rapidly turned Chicago's frontcourt and wing rotation from a question mark to an exclamation point.
But what exactly does Swain bring to the table and how has he already earned a comparison to the 2026 NBA Finals MVP?
Bulls fans should be ecstatic about Dailyn Swain comparison
Swain is a bit of a project, but an enticing one. He has prototypical NBA size for a wing at 6-foot-7 and 215 pounds with a 6-foot-10 wingspan, and what he lacks in any semblance of a jump shot he makes up for with an ability to get to the rim at will.
He can slither and slalom through defenses like a smaller guard. He's an excellent ball-handler for his size, using crafty start-and-stop moves, crossovers and spins to get into the paint repeatedly. His size and strength allow him to finish through contact and/or rack up trips to the free-throw line.
That may be where the comparisons to Brunson begin, but it isn't where they end, according to Sam Feriss of Hook'em Headlines. When asked, "What is the first thing [Bulls fans] should learn about Swain?" Fariss responded with the following:
""That he's relentless. You could compare him to Jalen Brunson. If your team is down by double digits with just a few minutes left in the game, don't be surprised if Swain turns the table and pushes the team to a victory instead of a loss.""Sam Fariss, Hook'em Headlines
Brunson's will to drag his team across the finish line is now legendary after New York's playoff run, in which he led the Knicks back from double-digit deficits in all four of their series wins.
Swain isn't the shooter or creator that Brunson is, but if he carries a similar intangible determination and uncanny clutch gene, he'll be a game-changer for a Bulls franchise desperately trying to return to relevance.
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