Caleb Wilson Took Over After Halftime. Chicago's Rookie Still Has Work to Do.

FINAL SCORE / VERIFIED BOX SCORE — Memphis 104, Chicago 100. Caleb Wilson: 21 PTS, 4 REB; 7-for-17 FG, 5-for-11 from three, 2-for-6 FT.

The game facts make the rookie performance clearer

Final: Memphis 104, Chicago 100 — October 9. Caleb Wilson led the Bulls with 21 points, adding four rebounds, one steal and four turnovers. He shot 7-for-17 overall, 5-for-11 from three and 2-for-6 at the free-throw line. The five three-pointers are significant because volume plus confidence forces opposing forwards to defend him farther from the basket. The missed free throws and turnovers are equally important because finishing possessions matters as his usage grows.

Chicago got 17 points from Norman Powell, who went 10-for-12 at the line, and 13 points, three rebounds and three assists from Josh Giddey. Memphis won behind broader production and made 36 of 76 shots (47.4%), while Chicago was 30-for-80 (37.5%). The Bulls took 40 free throws but made only 28, leaving 12 points on the line in a four-point defeat. The Grizzlies also made 22 of 26 free throws.

Wilson's future won't be determined by draft hype or one big scoring half. The jump shooting is interesting, but the next tests are decision-making, shot selection, and making free throws under pressure. His five made threes and 2-for-6 free throws are both part of the same evaluation.

Data: CBS Memphis–Chicago box score

Bulls rookie Caleb Wilson put up 21 points in Chicago's 104–100 preseason loss to Memphis on October 9. He hit five of eleven threes, hauled in four rebounds and played 32 minutes. Twenty of those points arrived after halftime. That is why the highlight spread so fast: people watched a rookie flip a quiet night into a scoring performance.

The part social clips leave out is that Wilson scored only one point in the first half and missed both field-goal attempts he took. In the second, he knocked down five of ten three-point tries. The contrast matters. For a young forward, a night like that reveals both the ability to adjust and the volatility of relying on outside shooting. Chicago will want his perimeter confidence, but not at the expense of learning the reads that generate efficient shots closer to the basket.

Wilson was the No. 4 pick in the 2026 draft, so expectations are not modest. Chicago's front office didn't draft him merely to be a catch-and-shoot specialist. Over the early exhibitions, he has shown a willingness to take on an offensive load. What changes his ceiling is whether he can defend consistently, finish through pressure and create advantages without needing a hot streak from deep.

It is tempting to call any 20-point preseason outing a breakout. That's not how player development works. The Bulls lost, and Memphis had meaningful production from several other players. Winning ultimately requires the rookie's strong possessions to be part of team basketball.

6ixtv's view: The five threes were nice. What I liked more was that he didn't disappear after an ugly first half. That resilience has value. I'm not grading him as a finished product in October, though. Let him actually grow.