Oct 7, 2026, will be a day that surely will forever hold a special place in the mind of Caleb Wilson if everything goes according to plan in the Bulls practices leading up to the Bulls’ first 2026-27 preseason game against the Phoenix Suns at the United Center.

The United Center is certain to draw a capacity crowd to witness the formal start to Wilson’s Bulls career, and his announcement in the iconic Bulls starting lineup introduction is sure to set the whole arena on fire when his college is announced, along with his height, position, and name.  

If Caleb Wilson realizes his full potential in a Bulls uniform, his college connection will become an indelible imprint in the franchise DNA of the Chicago Bulls.

The University of North Carolina holds an endearing connection to the Chicago Bulls because of the small circle of North Carolina Tar Heels who have donned a Chicago Bulls uniform, unlike their in-state archrival Duke Blue Devils.  

Immediately preceding Wilson’s arrival in Chicago is the inspiring Bulls journey of guard Coby White, who played for the franchise from 2019 to 2026.  

Three-time NBA Champion Scott Williams made the transition from Carolina blue to red and black in the most critical NBA season of franchise history, serving as a rookie big on the 1990-91 Chicago Bulls roster that started the franchise’s legendary 1990s NBA championship dynasty.   

The man who connected Williams to an opportunity to join the Chicago Bulls as an undrafted rookie in 1990 was none other than the man who made “Froooom North Carolina” synonymous with Chicago Bulls basketball: six-time NBA Champion Michael Jordan. 

Caleb Williams has yet to truly write his Bulls story, but his three other Bulls-Tar Heels alumni have great stories worth remembering.

Scott Williams’ perfect timing

By Williams own admission, his NBA career was catalyzed by a pickup basketball game he participated in as a college player in North Carolina that included a then-superstar Michael Jordan.  Williams’ pick-up impression moved Jordan enough to pitch to former Bulls general manager Jerry Krause to give Williams a tryout to join the Bulls.  

Williams carved out a reliable rotation spot for himself across three Bulls NBA championship rosters in which Williams averaged 11.5 points per 36 minutes, 12.0 rebounds per 36 minutes, 1.2 steals per 36 minutes, and 1.7 blocks per 36 minutes across 185 regular-season Bulls games.

Coby White’s perseverance

A Bulls 2019 lottery pick, selected seventh overall, Coby White’s first four seasons in a Bulls jersey were tumultuous as he oscillated between starting guard and bench player in a Bulls organization that encountered massive upheaval in its front office and coaching staff at the conclusion of the 2019-20 NBA season.  

By the 2022-23 NBA season, conventional wisdom would have suggested Coby White would be playing for a new NBA team by the 2023 NBA trade deadline.  

However, conventional wisdom never materialized, and White played inspired basketball that led to a three-year contract extension with the Bulls during the 2023 NBA offseason, followed by a breakout season of basketball during the 2023-24 NBA season in which he averaged 19.1 points per game and finished second in NBA Most Improved Player award voting.

Michael Jordan’s excellence

There are simply not enough words to describe what the most important player in Bulls franchise history means to the entire legacy of the Chicago Bulls.  Jordan is an undisputed icon of the franchise and the entire sport of basketball.  

Jordan’s standard is absolutely the standard that Caleb Williams should set for himself as he begins his NBA journey with the Chicago Bulls.  All Bulls fans are awaiting the chills that will come when Caleb Williams gets his first “Froooom North Carolina” in the United Center.

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