What Bulls' Caleb Wilson Took Away From His Workout with LeBron James

The Chicago Bulls haven't had a prospect like Caleb Wilson in a long time.

Derrick Rose is the organization's last draft pick to force the hype train into maximum overdrive. And he had the hometown roots to add to the momentum. Wilson is a 20-year-old from Atlanta, Georgia, who played his college hoops in North Carolina. He built a name for himself through high-flying dunks and tantalizing pre-draft workouts. By the time June rolled around, every hoops fan and draft analyst was bought into Wilson's potential.

It certainly doesn't hurt that Wilson also isn't afraid to make headlines. While he may be a respectful and curious NBA newbie, he doubles as one of the most confident rookies you'll ever meet. It's one reason many have compared him to Kevin Garnett – when Wilson is on the court, he believes he can take anyone.

Speaking of which, Garnett even came to take his own look at Wilson during NBA Summer League. The former NBA champion and Hall of Famer sat courtside, promptly coining Wilson as "Little Ticket" (a play on his own long-time nickname, Big Ticket).

If anything points toward Wilson's superstar potential, it might as well be that. Game always respects game, and Wilson is already demanding that respect without even playing in his first official game.

Another example of this hit our social media feeds only weeks ago. Wilson was suddenly inside the gym alongside LeBron James. He posted a photo of the two on his Instagram account. Other photos surfaced that showed the two putting in some work.

Caleb Wilson already in the gym with LeBron James.

Both Klutch clients. Huge for the rookie heading into Year 1.

(📸 cdubarchiv3 | IG) pic.twitter.com/1cMyWct2wv
— Elias Schuster (@Schuster_Elias) September 16, 2026

To be sure, the two do now share an agency. Wilson signed on with Klutch Sports, which is run by James' long-time friend and business partner Rich Paul. Nevertheless, the NBA's all-time leading scorer doesn't get into the gym with anyone. It further underscores that there must be something special about Wilson, who didn't take the opportunity for granted.

Caleb Wilson Talks LeBron James Workout

Sep 28, 2026; Chiacgo, Il, USA; Chicago Bulls forward Caleb Wilson (8) poses during media day. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Speaking to reporters during his first-ever Chicago Bulls training camp this week, Caleb Wilson shared some more about his time spent with LeBron James. While fans only got to see a couple of snapshots, Wilson revealed that they worked out together a couple of times.

"It was cool," Wilson admitted. "It was more mental than physical stuff. He taught me a lot about pressure and how he has dealt with it. Just talking to me a lot about the game – how to take care of your body, so he gave me a lot of pointers that I will take with me the rest of my career."

Is there a better brain to pick in the NBA, specifically for someone as young and impressionable as Wilson? James is about to head into Year 24. No one has done a better job of sustaining a high level of play and keeping his body right. And that is truly a process that starts in Year 1.

Not to mention, there is arguably no athlete in the history of sports who has lived up to the hype like James. He came in expected to be one of the best to ever play. He will go down as exactly that. Wilson's expectations may not be as sky-high, but there is no question that fans are looking toward him to drag this organization out of the mud.

One has to wonder if this is the start of a budding friendship. It's only a matter of time before James shifts more into a mentorship role, and perhaps Wilson can be one of his first projects. Even if that isn't the case, however, it sounds like their first meeting left the kind of impression on the rookie that will last a lifetime.

"Just learning from him, seeing his routine and all of that," Wilson continued. "It was more a mental thing of appreciation and learning from him and just working out with him."

Now, someone get this man Michael Jordan's number!

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