Former North Carolina Tar Heels standout Caleb Wilson made a big statement on Friday night in his NBA Summer League debut for the Chicago Bulls. Wilson scored 35 points and made seven three-pointers, going up against No. 3 overall pick Cameron Boozer and the Memphis Grizzlies.
The only thing sweeter for Wilson would have been a Bulls win. But now, the rookie is set for another Summer League game on Monday night and is looking to build upon that performance.
Before he does that, he met the Bulls media in Las Vegas, where he revealed where a lot of his motivation comes from — being left off the USA Basketball junior national roster in 2024. Wilson’s father, Jerry, revealed that it was used as motivation for his son. Now, Wilson explains why.
“I got cut from USA. I’ve had a lot of stuff happen in my life that’s really frustrated me,” Wilson said via Will Gottlieb. “But, I remember coming home from USA and working really hard. That’s when I started to feel like I had to prove myself right because it’s hard sitting in a room and somebody tells you you’re not good enough. And all of the people that were selected over me, I get the chance to play against them too. It’s always something I keep in mind, even to this day. That was probably one of the only times in my life I was actually heartbroken.”
While at UNC, Wilson showed just how he stays motivated when he revealed a lock screen cover after the Tar Heels beat Kansas and No. 2 overall pick Darryn Peterson at home. Wilson faced off against the top three picks in college and now in Summer League he’s gone against Boozer. However, he will miss Peterson who will not play on Monday night.
It’s early, but the makeup of Wilson is something Bulls fans should love.
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This article originally appeared on Tar Heels Wire: Caleb Wilson reveals what motivates him the most
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