The Knicks will head to Chicago on Wednesday night to face the Bulls as they look to get on track after a slow start to the 2026-27 NBA season.
If they want to leave with a win, they’ll have to slow down Caleb Wilson, who is filling up the box score and has quickly emerged as one of the most promising rookies of this year’s class.
Wilson is averaging 21 points, 7.3 rebounds, 1.5 blocks and 1.8 steals per game — numbers the Bulls hoped he could one day put up, let alone in the first week of his NBA career.
In a rebuilding year, the Bulls haven’t been shy about giving their prized No. 4 overall pick every opportunity to make an impact.
Wilson has played nearly 34 minutes per game and is, by far, Chicago’s leading shot-taker, averaging 18.5 field goal attempts per contest.
And there’s reason to believe his scoring numbers could climb even higher.
After connecting on 41.9 percent of his 3-point attempts during Summer League, Wilson, who was touted for his shooting potential coming out of North Carolina, has struggled mightily from beyond the arc in the regular season, making just five of his 28 attempts (17.9 percent).
Even a modest improvement from deep could make the 6-foot-9 forward considerably more dangerous offensively.
His athleticism could also cause problems for a Knicks frontcourt that has struggled defensively during the early going.
Karl-Anthony Towns and Andre Drummond could have their hands full trying to keep up with Wilson’s quickness and explosiveness, particularly when he attacks the basket or gets out in transition.
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The Knicks will also be playing on the second night of a back-to-back after hosting the Pistons on Tuesday, potentially giving the energetic rookie another advantage.
The play: Caleb Wilson Over 22.5 points + rebounds (-115, BetMGM)
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Dylan Svoboda is a versatile writer and analyst across many sports. He’s particularly knowledgeable about the big three — MLB, the NFL and the NBA.
