Bulls Player Grades vs. Wizards: Caleb Wilson 30 PTS, Matas Buzelis' Best Game, More

The Chicago Bulls' home opener sure didn't lack fireworks!

While Tiago Splitter's team failed to hang on due to a third-quarter collapse, the new-look Baby Bulls brought fans to their feet countless times. Caleb Wilson and Matas Buzelis put on a true dunk show, while their supporting cast finally started to play with a better sense of identity.

There is still tons of work to do, especially with the scheduled stiffening up even more. But this was the kind of performance a team can build on. With that said, let's hand out a handful of player grades. Instead of going all the way through the box score, we're going to stick with the guys who played over 20 minutes of action.

6 Bulls Player Grades

Caleb Wilson – A-
Stats: 30 PTS (10-24 FG, 9-11 FT), 14 REB, 3 AST, 2 STL

For those Chicago Bulls fans who weren't familiar with Caleb Wilson, it's safe to say they are now. The No. 4 overall pick had his most explosive first half of basketball yet. In the first two quarters, the high-flyer left his feet for EIGHT dunk attempts. Five found their way through the bottom of the net, while three shockingly rattled off the rim but earned him a trip to the free throw line.

There was little to nothing that the Wizards could do to stay in front of Wilson. Heck, even when they did, Wilson tried his hardest to glide right over them. He would walk into halftime a +16 with 17 points and a 5-6 showing at the free throw line.

That's what makes Wilson so darn tantalizing. He isn't just looking to make the highlight plays; he's all about making the winning plays. This continued to show up in the second half, where Wilson looked to help the Bulls claw their way back into the game. He went to the free throw line five more times in the fourth quarter alone, and he also drilled a massive three with less than a minute to go to make it 118-112.

At the end of the day, you would have liked a slightly more efficient night, but it's hard to complain about this kind of performance three games into a player's NBA career.

Matas Buzelis – B
Stats: 21 PTS (7-13 FG, 2-7 3PT), 5 REB, 2 AST, 1 STL

All things considered, Matas Buzelis had a strong bounce-back performance. One day after Tiago Splitter chose to leave the third-year forward out of the closing lineup, Buzelis looked a lot more like his 2025-26 self. We saw him shoot a highly efficient 7-13 from the field, which included going a perfect 4-4 in the restricted area and draining two corner threes.

Buzelis said this offseason that he wanted to be more assertive going to the rim, and it feels safe to say he has checked that box. He went a perfect 5-5 from the free throw line to improve his season-wide performance to 21-25. Speaking of which, that total number of attempts is the fifth-most in the NBA this season.

Norman Powell – B-
Stats: 18 PTS (4-12 FG, 3-7 3PT), 3 AST, 4 STL

Norman Powell hasn't put together a particularly dynamic shooting night just yet, but Tiago Splitter clearly trusts the veteran. He played 32 minutes against the Wizards, helping the Bulls establish a good downhill identity. He went a perfect 7-7 at the free throw line and is now 23-27 on the year.

There is also no ignoring his four steals. The Bulls had some very active hands and came away with 10 steals total. Powell may not be the most athletically gifted or physically imposing, but he's always been a high-effort defender.

Jalen Smith – C+
Stats: 14 PTS (5-11 FG, 2-7 3PT), 2 REB

With Nic Claxton sidelined to start the season, Tiago Splitter has gone with Jalen Smith in the starting lineup. And the head coach hasn't been disappointed. Smith has been the Bulls' most consistent player through their first three games. Their strong start was in large part thanks to his efforts on both ends, as he went 5-10 shooting for double-digit points in the first half alone.

Having said that, this was a tale of two halves for Smith. The Wizards toughened up over the final two quarters, holding Smith to a mere 2 points with three fouls. Still, considering the firepower in this Wizards' frontcourt, this was a nice outing for the big man.

Josh Giddey – C
Stats: 9 PTS (3-7 FG), 10 AST, 8 REB

After also getting benched on Friday night, Josh Giddey didn't necessarily have the outing that Buzelis did, but he still looked considerably more comfortable. Giddey finished with double-digit assists for the first time this season. Six of those dimes were also in the fourth quarter, when the Bulls outscored the Wizards 38-27 to nearly come back from a 21-point deficit.

One of those assists also went right through the legs of Kyshawn George!

Giddey finished the night with the second-highest plus-minus on the team (+5). Does he still look pretty uncomfortable scoring the ball? Yes, and there has been some noticeable frustration with the lack of calls around the rim. But, hey, Giddey's No. 1 job is to set up the offense, and he did that pretty well in the home opener.

Leonard Miller – C-
Stats: 7 PTS (3-8 FG), 4 REB, 1 STL

To be honest, there isn't much to say here. Leonard Miller has been great over the last few weeks, proving that he deserves a spot in the rotation. Facing off against bigs like Anthony Davis, Alex Sarr, and Deandre Ayton, however, his same opportunities near the rim weren't there.

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