Cameron Boozer’s father Carlos, who played for the Chicago Bulls from 2010 to 2014, is optimistic that his son might end up with his former team in the upcoming NBA Draft.
CHICAGO — The Bryson Graham era almost started with a sudden jolt—literally, the sound of his head hitting a table at Navy Pier when the Bulls jumped from the ninth pick to the fourth in Sunday’s NBA Draft Lottery.
“I nearly passed out,” Graham said. “I kept thinking, ‘This is insane, this is insane,’ because this draft is stacked.”
Just four days after being introduced as the new executive vice president of basketball operations in Chicago, the 39-year-old laughed frequently during a 10-minute interview with local reporters. And why wouldn’t he? The Bulls defied the odds, capitalizing on a 20.3 percent chance to secure a top-four selection in a talent-rich draft.
“It’s thrilling, man,” he said. “I can’t believe it. I land the job and suddenly I’ve got the fourth pick. It’s crazy, man!”
Crazy indeed. Bulls optimism has soared to a 10-year high.
Graham’s first words to reporters were blunt: “We got lucky.” Not that he’s complaining. Did he bring a four-leaf clover or some lucky charm?
“I brought prayers,” said Graham, a man of faith. “I brought prayers, man. Actually, it’s Sunday—I didn’t go to church today. I feel a bit guilty. But hey, we had the Lord’s blessing, and we moved up.”
He laughed again. “I was living right,” he said.
It’s about time someone in this organization is. After more than a decade wandering through the NBA desert, the Bulls might finally be on the right path. Could a teenage basketball prodigy lead them? And who will that be?
The Artūras Karnišovas era, however brief it was, also started with the fourth pick in 2020. He chose Florida State freshman Patrick Williams, and well, that’s largely why we’re here now. Karnišovas’ repeated misjudgments in talent evaluation eventually cost him his job after six seasons. But his fire sale—which didn’t net the team a first-round pick—did allow the Bulls to bottom out after the trade deadline. That move helped them climb a few spots in the lottery order, and it made all the difference.
This draft is widely considered to have a top four of AJ Dybantsa, Darryn Peterson, Cameron Boozer, and Caleb Wilson—though not necessarily in that order.
In essence, the Bulls don’t face a tough decision. They simply take whichever player remains, right? Even Karnišovas couldn’t mess that up. Graham said his front office will still follow the process—interviews, workouts, gathering intel—but he knows his job just got a bit easier.
“Obviously, there are some names at the top of the draft that excite you, and you just want a chance,” he said. “I believe it doesn’t matter where we pick—we’re going to get the best player. But the odds worked in our favor today. It definitely helps.”
Here’s how I see it unfolding: The Washington Wizards grab Dybantsa, the consensus top pick; the Utah Jazz, still stinging from missing out on the BYU star, take Kansas guard Peterson; the Memphis Grizzlies select UNC forward Wilson; and the Bulls get lucky once more, landing Boozer, the talented big man from Duke.
As a famously loud former Bull used to say, “Holdat!” That loud voice belongs to former Bulls big man Carlos Boozer, who very much wants his son to join his old team.
For months, it seemed like Wilson would fall to fourth, and if that happens, it’s still a great outcome. But wouldn’t it be a linguistic challenge for Chicago sports fans and media to have both a Caleb Williams and a Caleb Wilson? I’m not sure we’re ready for that.
