The Bulls news: Caleb Wilson among 4 Chicago players to pop up in ESPN's Top 100 is the kind of headline that should have the United Center buzzing this week. ESPN dropped its annual Top 100 player rankings on Monday, September 21, 2026, and Chicago landed four names on the list - a result that says plenty about where this roster sits as training camp opens next week.
For a franchise that has spent the last few seasons straddling the line between playoff hopeful and full teardown, four players in ESPN's top tier isn't just a bragging point. It's evidence that the rebuild has quietly turned a corner.
The Headline: Chicago's Four-Player Haul on ESPN's Top 100
ESPN released its 2026-27 Top 100 rankings on September 21, with a panel of more than 150 reporters, editors, producers, and analysts voting on player quality. The Bulls' four entrants mark the franchise's strongest showing in years - and it all starts with the name fans can't stop talking about.
| Player | ESPN Rank | 2025-26 PPG | 2025-26 RPG | 2025-26 APG |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Caleb Wilson | 41 | 19.8 | 8.4 | 3.1 |
| Josh Giddey | 63 | 14.6 | 8.1 | 7.2 |
| Matas Buzelis | 78 | 12.4 | 6.3 | 2.0 |
| Coby White | 92 | 18.7 | 3.6 | 3.9 |
Statistics reflect the 2025-26 regular season.
Breaking Down the Four Bulls on the List
Caleb Wilson: The Name Turning Heads
Wilson arriving at No. 41 is the story of Chicago's offseason. The 6-foot-10 forward broke out in 2025-26 with 19.8 points and 8.4 rebounds per game, and ESPN's panel clearly believes last season was a launchpad rather than a ceiling. Landing in the top 50 alongside established All-NBA-caliber talent signals that the league views Wilson as a legitimate building block, not a nice story.
📊 No. 41 overall - Caleb Wilson's ESPN rank, the highest by a Bulls player since the panel began publishing these rankings in 2011.
The Other Three Chicago Representatives
Josh Giddey checks in at No. 63 after another season of near-triple-double playmaking. Matas Buzelis lands at No. 78 - a steady climb for the young forward whose defensive versatility keeps earning national attention. Coby White rounds out the group at No. 92, giving Chicago a backcourt scorer who can heat up in a hurry.
Four names, four different roles, one clear takeaway: this roster has depth that extends beyond a single star.
What ESPN's Rankings Say About the Bulls' Direction
A Signal to the Rest of the East - and to Chicago's Front Office
In a loaded Eastern Conference, national recognition matters. Four Top 100 players gives the Bulls something they haven't had in years: external validation. ESPN's panel isn't known for generosity toward teams stuck in the middle. Chicago showing up four times suggests the league-wide view has shifted from "play-in filler" to "rising problem."
The bigger question is what the front office does with it. With Wilson, Giddey, Buzelis, and White all under contract and still on the right side of 30, the Bulls finally have a core worth investing around rather than dismantling. Expect Chicago's name to surface in trade rumors for win-now veterans between now and February - and expect the asking price to reflect a team that suddenly believes it's close.
For fans who sat through the lean years, this week's rankings are a reminder that patience was the plan all along.
📊 Four Bulls in the Top 100 - Chicago's strongest showing in the ESPN rankings' 15-year history, topping its previous best of three.
Training camp opens September 29 at the Advocate Center, and the Bulls' preseason slate tips off in early October. If ESPN's panel is right, Chicago won't be sneaking up on anyone this season.
For more Bulls news - including Caleb Wilson among 4 Chicago players to pop up in ESPN's Top 100 and what it means for the rotation - keep it locked here as camp gets rolling.
