How Chicago’s Rookie Class Fits Into Tiago Splitter’s Rebuild

Billy Donovan is gone, and Tiago Splitter is bringing in an offense built around multiple ballhandlers and quick perimeter triggers. That shift changes what Chicago needs from its young players, and preseason made the answer obvious fast. This isn’t a redshirt year. Rookies will be given a chance, and they better take it.

The Bulls enter the season with four rookies (technically) on the roster. Two first-rounders are stepping directly into legitimate roles, and two undrafted players are still fighting for real minutes. Chicago has been a play-in team for years, and the fans are demanding something different, but how much of that weight these rookies carry depends on them.

Caleb Wilson

The real blue-chip draft pick for Chicago, Wilson looks like an immediate starter or, at minimum, a six-man offensive initiator good for 25 to 28 minutes a night. He dropped 21 points against Memphis, then followed with 17 points, five assists, and four rebounds in 25 minutes against Denver.

The shot-creation flashes were real, particularly attacking closeouts and working isolation reps from the high elbow. His three-point was a pleasant surprise to most, and probably nudged expectations in Chicago even higher than they were before.

Wilson’s role and aptitude in that role could make or break Chicago’s season. Wilson’s split between scoring outbursts and rough patches is exactly the kind of swing that shapes early-season NBA best bets coverage, since his role is still being defined game to game.

Dailyn Swain

Wing Dailyn Swain projects as a second-unit swingman and perimeter defender in the 14-to-18-minute range. He posted 10 points and six assists in 22 minutes against Phoenix, then logged 15 steady minutes against Denver. His seven-foot wingspan already disrupts skip passes and lets him switch comfortably onto guards.

He’s the unselfish connector this roster needs between its higher-usage perimeter scorers. The swing skill to watch is his corner three. If that shot settles into an acceptable clip, he could realistically push veterans for minutes rather than simply rounding out the bench. If his pre-season performances are anything to go by, he’s a legitimate rotation piece.

Tobe Awaka

Awaka projects as an energetic backup big, a situational glass cleaner good for 10 to 14 minutes. He put up a 14-point, 11-rebound double-double in just 21 minutes against Phoenix, then grabbed seven boards in 24 minutes against Memphis. It’s the classic undrafted camp story, and he’s earned genuine consideration because of it.

Frontcourt minutes are crowded, with Nic Claxton, Jalen Smith, and Zach Collins all occupying space. None of them match Awaka’s brute strength on the offensive glass. He’s an aggressive two-way pickup who brings real rim pressure and interior toughness, the kind of player a rebuild quietly needs.

Jaylin Sellers

Sellers is, at this stage, the lead scoring guard for the Windy City Bulls, but short of Bulls minutes. Lower-back soreness kept him off the floor during preseason while Tre Jones, Brandon Boston, and Jordan Hawkins soaked up the backcourt reps instead.

It’s an uphill climb on a two-way deal. Sellers likely needs a multi-month run in Hoffman Estates to prove his college scoring efficiency translates before Chicago gives him a real look.

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