Rahimi, Harris & Grote Show
Matt Norlander: Caleb Wilson would 'inject legitimate optimism' into Bulls (Hour 2)
23 Jun 2026
Transcript generated automatically by AI and may contain errors.
Chapter 1: What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
This hour is brought to you by Menards.
Save big money at Menards. Let's not sit here and say because we have the fourth pick and all of a sudden, like, this franchise is, like, it's back. You know what I mean? But this is just a good opportunity to add high-level talent to our group and build this, like I keep saying, layer it, you know, appropriately. And so it's exciting, man. I can't believe it.
I just got the job and I got the fourth pick. This is crazy, man.
Chapter 2: What insights does Matt Norlander provide about the Bulls' fourth pick in the NBA Draft?
This is crazy.
This is Rahimi Harrison-Grote on 104.3 The Score, and that is Bryson Graham speaking after the draft lottery that netted the Bulls the fourth overall pick in tonight's NBA draft. And we go to our hotline. That is where we find our next guest.
He is the senior writer and college basketball analyst for CBS Sports, co-host of the Eye on College Basketball podcast, and he joins us on Twitch, twitch.tv slash thescorechicago. Matt Norlander, thanks for coming on.
It's my pleasure to be on. I mean, unfortunately, the way I'm cropped, I'm rocking my bear shirt, just so you know. Parents born and raised in Chicago, diehard Bears fan, so all too happy to be on with you.
Oh, yeah. Pop the jersey. Let's go. That's great. You guys can see that on Twitch if you're watching. We did get a... That's an orange bear shirt.
Matt, we got to start with this draft. Look, this man's putting out content by the minute. Yeah. Posted 13 minutes ago. Here's the headline. 2026 NBA Draft Intel. Latest buzz on Wizards' number one pick, trade chatter, and prospects rising late. Now, we care about that because... Here in Chicago, the Bulls have the fourth overall pick.
This is an article you can go check out on CBSSports.com right now. And Matt, I'm a staunch believer that Darren Peterson is going to have a better career than A.J. DeBonsa. And you're writing as if it's not a sure thing that DeBonsa will go number one to the Wizards.
Well, OK, 100 percent. I'm not there. But I do. I do think there's still the possibility that Washington could be fooling all of us. It was four years ago when up until all of what, two, three hours before the draft, even less than that. Everyone thought Jabari Smith Jr. was going to Orlando. And what happened? Paulo Bancaro went one. Jabari Smith Jr. fell to three to Houston.
Chet Holmgren went two to Oklahoma City. It's not unthinkable. Washington's done its diligence on this significantly, and they could certainly opt to do that. But the feeling around the league, I talked to nearly a dozen GMs and scouts over the past five days or so. I asked all of them, what do you think is going to happen at one? And I got nine returns on AJ and two on Darren Peterson.
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Chapter 3: What are the main factors influencing the NBA Draft this year?
I've gotten feedback that they really, really like what they saw there with him. I don't think Christian Anderson falls below 16, but keep that in mind. Christian Anderson averaged 7.5 assists last season, 18.5 points, was one of the... I don't know, three best shooters to come into this draft. So that's a name to keep an eye out for there.
If Yaxel Lindenborg out of Michigan is still there, which I don't think he has any business falling to 15, but I do think it is a potential scenario. Give it, I don't know, 25% chance that that happens. If Yaxel is there, you take Yaxel and don't look back. Don't ask questions. I don't care that he's going to be 24 at the start of next season.
He is one of the, in my opinion, going into the NBA next season. He is one of the... five best basketball players in this draft pool, but because he is older, he is not going to be taken in the top five and probably won't get taken in the top 10. If the ax is there, do not hesitate and, and, and absolutely chase and take him.
Um, other players that could be there for the bulls, Cameron Carr out of Baylor. Maybe I think that might be a little bit of a reach. Uh, Bennett Sturtz has gotten a lot of run as of late. Um, His camp actually think there's a decent chance he'll go top 15. Obviously, your listeners might have some familiarity with him being in Big Ten country and seeing what he did at Iowa.
So keep an eye on him there as well. LeBaron Phylon out of Alabama is someone that I think will probably be available in that spot as well. So one of the names I've given you, I think, is who the Bulls will actually ultimately wind up selecting. But if you're listening, watching, you're a Bulls fan, root for Yaxchel to fall there and take him and don't look back.
But if that's not the case, Christian Anderson should be the move. I mean, he's just super mature, very coachable. He'll look at his listing and you think he's a little bit on the undersized And, you know, listed around 6'1", 180 pounds. At the combine, they actually showed when his medical, his growth plates haven't closed.
So they actually think he's got a chance to maybe put a little bit more on his overall frame in the next year of his life. So Christian Anderson would be a wonderful pairing to go with Caleb Wilson because they're also, both of them are ultra competitors.
It's great to have two of the top 15 picks in this draft because the depth really is there. And you hear it if you've been researching this or just following along since the end of college basketball season. It's evident throughout, whether you're looking at the guards, whether you're looking at big men, all-around players, shooters. You can find anything in the top.
I want to know who you think has the highest ceiling overall. of all the players in the four, and if you could order those guys, like ceiling-wise, just between Debonza and Peterson and Boozer and, of course, Caleb Wilson. Who's got the highest ceiling?
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Chapter 4: How does Matt Norlander evaluate Caleb Wilson's potential impact on the Bulls?
at Duke, both Shire and May were involved at Dallas. So, no, not necessarily. I know the Splitter hire by some has actually been pretty raved about. We'll see. He was able to find a landing spot after Portland. That's great for Splitter, and hopefully he's the guy there that can really make a difference and get the Bulls back into consistent relevancy at the NBA level.
But Dusty, we'll see on this. I mean, he, I think... somewhat unexpectedly found himself in a position where Dallas was ready to offer him this job. I wrote about this yesterday for CBS sports.com, but he was, he had an eye on the NBA. And I think next year would have been definitely likely that he could have gone. And if not that like 28 at the latest.
And then this whole thing with Dallas just accelerated on a level that I, I think a week ago, Dusty may still wasn't even sure that he was going to have a real shot at getting the Dallas Mavericks job done. But get a shot he did, and now he goes, and he'll be there tonight with his three likely lottery picks, though, by the way. But Bulls fans, I understand there's a little bit of curiosity.
Why didn't we get him? He's local, Big Ten area and all that kind of stuff. But the way these NBA searches when it comes to filling head coaching vacancies fill out doesn't exactly work like that. And be happy with what you got. Get ready for the fourth pick. Caleb Wilson will be on the ground in Chi-Town on Wednesday, and we'll see who winds up joining him with the 15th spot.
We love the confidence, Matt. We should follow up with you after it's all said and done. Thank you.
Yeah, we got more questions, especially who's your favorite, Caleb, if that hat comes to pass since you got the Bears on right now.
Well, I'll save that for another hit down the road. But whatever you guys need to try and keep the Bears in the state of Illinois, just keep it up, please.
That's our 1245 segment.
Apparently, there is action. I live in Connecticut. And so it's not like I'm going to the games on the regular. But it just annoys me to no end to think that they would leave the state. boundaries. So this is just another voice that I'm adding to the chorus there. So please, anything we do to get them to not believe this.
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Chapter 5: How do the Bulls' draft strategies reflect their current team dynamics?
You guys had scored 30 runs in your last three games. I'm sure, yes, day off necessary, but when you get the two days off, you're talking about doing the work. Any part of you that wishes you could kind of keep things going from an offensive standpoint because you guys have been putting up six-plus runs in each of your last three games?
Yeah, I think offensively we're going to be fine. The group is starting to swing it and putting some things together. But at the same time, yeah, there's certainly that part of it where one day off is nice and you wish you could get right back to it.
Yeah, I think that's part of it too is after the game on Saturday, which was frustrating just to watch. How much were you guys ready to just get back out there against the Blue Jays and then you don't get the chance to?
Yeah, definitely one of the ones where you want to jump right back on it and kind of finish that series off with a win and keep it rolling. But like I said, it is part of it and the things that you can't control.
So I think for us, you move past it and whatever Mother Nature gives you, we'll get a chance to compete, play four games in the next three days and hopefully come out of New York with a serious win.
Ian Happ joining us as he does each and every week at this time on Rahimi, Harris, and Grody. Of course, Ian, left fielder for the Cubs, a team that right now, the season ending, you'd be right there in the mix. I know you guys are trying to get something going a little bit more positively away from 500 mark.
But Ian, you have to be pleased with the fact that you kind of survived what had been a real slump team-wide offensively.
Yeah, and I think that it would be... If we had gone through that, it would be very easy to see a place where this team is a few games under 500 or more and fighting a super uphill battle. I think I've said it on the show multiple times, but...
We afforded ourselves a little bit of leeway with how well we played early in the year and certainly hasn't been pretty over the last month plus, but I think that we're in a spot now, like you said, in the mix and have a chance to really have some upward kind of momentum into the all-star break and put ourselves in a really good position.
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Chapter 6: What are the comparisons made between top draft prospects?
And the latest headline I got was, which is kind of appropriate for this discussion, a viral TikTok just reignited the debate over why men aren't approaching women anymore. I know just the man to ask. His name is Mars Hall Harris. We'll do it next.
Pretty sure they're floating around us and seeing some large humans.
What's up? It's halftime.
Chapter 7: What are the implications of the Clippers' fifth pick for the Bulls?
It is halftime here on Rahimi Harris and Grody. On this Tuesday, it is Layla and Marshall with you. And we spent the first couple of segments of our show talking about the White Sox win. It was good. It was bad. It was everything. And now they got to do it again tonight against Cleveland. We also discussed the Bulls trade acquiring Nick Claxton for relatively nothing.
But some people are still mad. And I get that because we still don't know what this Bulls team is going to be. Matt Norlander was tremendous. Great interview at 11 o'clock. He's with CBS Sports. He's the senior writer and college basketball analyst. And we just talked to Ian Happ. So this is from my algorithm, not from my dating life, because that doesn't exist. Also by choice, you know, I mean.
Oh, we know it's by choice.
No one's arguing that. Well, you know, I get the angry, no wonder you're single. I hate you. Well, I don't think you... I could be a completely different person and I'm still doing this job. So you would hate me no matter what. So those people don't count, but I, you know, we're married to the game friends. We're married to our jobs. This job requires a lot of hours.
I chose what I chose, but this, this got me. A viral TikTok just reignited the debate over why men aren't approaching women anymore. Now, I hastily sent this to Ray and because there is audio. I sent it to Ray and Tyler to turn around. Do we have a turnaround, guys? Look at you. Why did I even doubt myself? Let's listen to the plea.
Where are you guys meeting these cute men? Because we go out to the bars every weekend. Every weekend. And we only see cute guys in the run clubs, at bagel shops, like at the grocery store. I'm not going to talk to you at the grocery store. The bar is the best place. Literally. And they don't go out. No. Because they have an issue with it. And I don't know why.
Because they say they're not worthy. The girls are low values. Well, you're never going to find anyone then. Cause like you're not, I know you guys aren't going to approach it at the grocery store or the fricking run club. So like, no, cause you're sober. Why would I talk to you? It's also like six in the morning.
God. Okay. Okay. I think there's some discussion to be had here. I've seen cute guys out and about in Chicago. I don't do a run club. I have seen them at the grocery store. But this brings up a better, better, greater topic, Marshall.
Did she really say, why would I talk to you when I'm sober? Is that what I heard in that clip?
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