“MJ’s the guy that everybody talks about” – Caleb Wilson reveals how Michael Jordan’s legacy shaped his journey to Chicago

October 19, 2026 3 Min Read

Michael Jordan had a memorable collegiate career at the University of North Carolina, leaving a lasting legacy that continues to inspire generations of players.

The 6-foot-6 wing player saw action in three seasons at Chapel Hill and practically won everything. He helped the Tar Heels claim the NCAA Tournament national title in his freshman year in 1982 and later won national college and Atlantic Coast Conference player-of-the-year awards.

Along the way, he established a reputation as one of the hardest-working and competitive players in UNC history, while building a strong relationship with the school’s community.

Following his run with the Tar Heels, where he had career averages of 17.7 points, 5.0 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 1.6 steals and 1.1 blocks, Jordan turned professional, selected third overall by the Chicago Bulls in the 1984 NBA Draft. In the NBA, “His Airness” continued to soar, becoming arguably the greatest the game has ever seen.

Emulating MJ

Among those inspired by Jordan is Bulls rookie Caleb Wilson, who also came out of UNC. The 20-year-old forward was already familiar with what MJ was able to accomplish in his basketball career before his one-and-done campaign with the Tar Heels. However, hearing great stories about Jordan’s college days gave him a better appreciation for the basketball legend.

“Well, like, going to North Carolina, MJ’s the guy that everybody talks about. So there’s so much stuff that I did to try to be like him before I even got to Chicago. That’s why it’s kind of crazy… His mentality of working hard. There’s so many stories about Michael Jordan that you hear in North Carolina,” Wilson shared on the “Link with JB” podcast.

“Even, like, how he connected with the community and stuff … It’s kind of surreal that I’m doing what I’m doing. Being in Chicago kind of feels like it’s not even real, but I mean I’ve done a lot of stuff to kind of be like him because he’s great in this so you try to emulate it,” he added.

In his lone season with the Tar Heels, Wilson averaged 19.8 points, 9.4 rebounds and 2.7 assists. 1.5 steals and 1.4 blocks. Unfortunately, he suffered hand injuries that limited his college campaign to just 24 games.

Best prospect since Jordan?

Selected fourth overall in this year’s draft, Wilson is among the young players the Bulls are building around moving forward, along with Josh Giddey and Matas Buzelis.

For longtime Bulls columnist Sam Smith, Wilson offers tremendous potential to build around. Smith views the rookie as a promising prospect comparable to Jordan when he entered the league, while even suggesting that Wilson could be better than Bulls legend Derrick Rose was early in his time in Chicago.

“I’m not saying that he’s Jordan, but this Caleb Wilson is as good a prospect that I’ve initially seen. And I’m not overlooking Derrick Rose. It wasn’t until Derrick decided to be MVP that, you know, he was going to be a complementary player,” Smith said.

Putting in the work

Wilson is aware of the expectations placed on him in the NBA, but he has embraced the challenge, vowing to put in the needed work to improve his game and help the Bulls accelerate their rebuilding process.

The Bulls missed the playoffs for the fourth consecutive season and for the eighth time in nine years last season. They hope to turn things around under new coach Tiago Splitter, with a roster also bolstered by the addition of veterans Norman Powell and Nic Claxton.

Whether Wilson will have the kind of impact Jordan had in Chicago remains to be seen. However, by taking cues from the NBA legend, the rookie is already laying the groundwork for a promising professional career.

This story was originally published by Basketball Network on Oct 19, 2026, where it first appeared in the Latest News section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.