The Association: Caleb Wilson striving to become greatest ever
Josiah Johnson and Isaiah Thomas praise Caleb Wilson's mentality for striving to become the greatest player ever.
Ryan Stetz/NBAE via Getty Images
There’s history brewing between the No. 3 and No. 4 picks in the 2026 NBA Draft, as they potentially continue their budding rivalry tonight.
Cameron Boozer and Caleb Wilson headline the Grizzlies and Bulls’ clash in Chicago (8 ET, NBA TV), renewing their ties after taking part in a historic college rivalry and a hard-fought, one-point game in the 2026 NBA Summer League.
- Shared Roots: Boozer and Wilson played together on the AAU circuit, leading the Nightrydas Elite to the 2024 Nike EYBL Peach Jam championship
- Tobacco Road Rivalry: Wilson (23 pts) and the North Carolina Tar Heels defeated Boozer (24 pts, 11 reb) and the Duke Blue Devils 71-68 on Feb. 7, taking the game on a buzzer-beater
- Back With Heated Action: Boozer (23 pts, 6 reb) struck back in Summer League, surviving back-to-back late three-pointers by Wilson (35 pts, 7-11 3pm) to lead the Grizzlies to a 97-96 win over the Bulls on July 10. Both were later named to the 2026 All-Summer League First Team
- “There’s a lot of respect there for each other,” Boozer said of Wilson. “Every time we’re on the court we compete, and we’re cool off the court.”
- “He’s a great player, obviously,” Wilson said of Boozer. “We have fun with each other on the court, and we talk back and forth. He made some tough shots, like that fadeaway he had over me, and we were able to really play and get after it.”
Boozer’s strong all-around play has carried over into the preseason, where he’s posted 13.5 ppg, 6.0 reb and 4.0 ast in Memphis’ 1-1 start, including a 16-point outing on Wednesday.
- “The poise he has at that age is just huge,” Memphis teammate Ty Jerome said of Boozer after their preseason opener. “Him being able to dribble, pass, and shoot next to me, it’s like I got another point guard next to me, almost at 6-foot-10.”
Wilson led Chicago in scoring in its first preseason game, putting up 15 points to lead the team to a 124-117 win over the Suns Wednesday.
- “Wild being in the NBA and having my uniform on,” Wilson said afterward. “Hearing that Sirius song was wild; watched The Last Dance, watched all those shows. Just seeing and feeling it for yourself is quite crazy.”
The wild ride could continue tonight between the two young forwards.
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