Chicago Bulls rookie Caleb Wilson fractured his right hand during a 119-124 home loss to the San Antonio Spurs on Wednesday, sidelining the team’s top young scorer for multiple weeks.
The injury occurred early in the third quarter when Wilson attempted to strip the ball from San Antonio forward Victor Wembanyama, SPOX reported. Up to that point, the 20-year-old forward scored 15 points in 15 minutes, leading a Chicago lineup that stayed competitive against the Western Conference opponents. Wilson did not return to the court after the sequence.
The franchise announced on Thursday that the fourth overall draft pick underwent a successful operation on a right-hand fracture and will face a reassessment in three weeks. ESPN insider Shams Charania reported that Chicago anticipates a four-to-six-week recovery window.
Before the setback, Wilson averaged 18.9 points, 6.2 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 1.8 steals, and 0.9 blocks across his first ten NBA appearances. He leads the team in scoring behind veteran Norman Powell, though he also committed 2.7 turnovers per contest during Chicago’s difficult 1-9 start.
The latest hand injury adds to a recurring medical history for Wilson, who missed six games at the University of North Carolina due to a fractured left bone and missed the NCAA tournament following right-thumb surgery. Despite those collegiate setbacks, Chicago selected the highflyer early in the draft.
With Wilson out of the lineup, head coach Tiago Splitter must adjust a roster currently carrying the league’s lowest defensive rating at 124.1. Every opponent this season has scored at least 124 points against the Bulls.
Chicago continues its schedule against upcoming playoff contenders, facing the Atlanta Hawks, Minnesota Timberwolves, and Cleveland Cavaliers in the coming days.
Keep reading
