Down 103-64 with the ball in his hands, Caleb Wilson tried to find a cutting Isaac Okoro in the open floor.
The Chicago Bulls' forward went for the bounce pass in transition, only for it to be easily cut off by Miles McBride. The ball landed right in the hands of OG Anunoby, who pushed it up the floor, penetrated the paint, and quickly kicked it out to McBride in the corner for the open triple.
As the Bulls went back down the floor, Caleb Wilson found himself with the ball in his hands again near the top of the key. With multi-time All-Defensive Team member OG Anunoby stationed in front of him, Wilson opted for the ISO possession. He dribbled to just inside the three-point line and popped a long two. It rattled off the rim.
I promise, this context is all important!
The Knicks would go back down the court and miss a three. The ball found you-know-who. Wilson pushed it up the court again and found Okoro near the dunker spot. The Bulls' veteran wing missed a layup, and Wilson attempted to grab the offensive rebound. It was batted back out to the Knicks. As they headed down the floor for their next possession, Wilson was nowhere to be found. Even Adam Amin on the Chicago Sports Network broadcast called out the rookie's frustration.
A timeout was soon called with 5:09 left on the clock, and Wilson made his way to the bench. He would not return to the game.
The decision represented a stark departure from how Splitter has handled the rookie thus far. In every other blowout loss, the 20-year-old was on the court learning how to fight through adversity. On Wednesday night, however, that lesson was taught on the bench. It was the first time Wilson looked dejected and seemingly allowed it to impact his play. Splitter wasn't going to stand for it.
Nov 2, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Chicago Bulls head coach Tiago Splitter reacts during the third quarter against the Philadelphia 76ers at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Tiago Splitter isn't one to beat around the bush, and he reminded everyone of that after the Chicago Bulls' 135-105 loss.
The head coach fielded questions about Caleb Wilson's late-game benching, bluntly stating that the rookie didn't do what it takes to stay on the floor.
"I think he didn't have a great game," Splitter said. "He wasn't doing the right things on offense or defense. Body language. He's got to get better."
To be sure, considering the final few possessions before he was yanked in the third quarter, it's not hard to see where Splitter was coming from. Wilson was having his worst game as a Bull up until that point, scoring just 5 points on 2-12 shooting from the field and three turnovers.
It also didn't help that the rookie started to show frustration. Understandable after how trying the first couple of weeks have been for the team as a whole? Absolutely, but that doesn't make it acceptable.
"We've got be more resilient," Splitter said. "The game is long. I try to put myself in their shoes. Caleb has never been in this situation in his life. He's always been on the winning side. Winning games. Now, he has to be resilient and play hard even when you're down 20, 30, of 40. It doesn't matter. So, it's a learning experience for sure."
The big question now is how Wilson responds to Splitter's challenge of sorts. If anything, the head coach finally showed that the No. 4 overall pick doesn't have carte blanche. The leash might be long this season, but there will always be certain non-negotiables, no matter how high you sit on the totem pole. With that said, knowing what we do know about Wilson, he is the kind of player who will look inward and grow from such an ugly night.
Indeed, this isn't the kind of situation that needs to be blown out of proportion. If anything, the fact that Wilson hasn't experienced an off-night like this over his first eight games is a testament to how great he has been. At the same time, it's not only a long game but a long season. Part of being the leader Wilson wants to be is weathering the storm, and the current dark cloud isn't going anywhere.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/nba/bulls/onsi as Tiago Splitter Teaches Caleb Wilson First Tough Bulls Lesson With Benching .
