The Chicago Bulls are sticking to their system.
After selecting Caleb Wilson with the No. 4 pick in Tuesday’s NBA draft, the Chicago Bulls pivoted to focus on their backcourt by selecting Dailyn Swain with the No. 15 pick. At 6-foot-8, the former Texas wing looks similar to other recent selections by the Bulls — a lengthy athlete who loves to carve a path from the perimeter to the rim.
Swain fits a clear model described by the SLAP moniker — which stands for “size, length, athleticism and physicality” — preferred by the new Bulls front office led by executive vice president of basketball operations Bryson Graham. He will present another option for a lengthy and defensive-minded roster alongside Wilson, Matas Buzelis and Noa Essengue. But Swain also differs from these teammates as a self-described “big guard” who will work to connect the Bulls offensively as both a passer and cutter.
Even on draft night, Swain felt he understood the identity necessary to fit into this new mold of a Bulls player.
“Defensive versatility, transition, making the right plays, being a connective player — I see myself doing that from Day 1 and developing into whatever the team needs from me,” Swain said.
Swain averaged 17.3 points and 7.5 rebounds per game for Texas last season after playing his first two seasons of college basketball at Xavier. At age 20, he will be one of the older first-round draft selections made by the Bulls in the last decade.
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After a crucial first round of picks, Swain will join Wilson in the first year of a rebuild under Graham and new head coach Tiago Splitter. After watching Wilson at North Carolina, Swain is eager to pair up with his new teammate.
Before the draft, Swain said he watched a highlight reel of Wilson’s best dunks for the Tar Heels. The video lasted more than five minutes.
“It was the longest thing I’ve watched,” Swain said with a laugh.
Swain already knows how he hopes to complement Wilson: finding him off the bounce and pushing the pace in transition. He also knows how he will be expected to operate off the ball in conjunction with guard Josh Giddey to create much-needed offensive pressure through cutting and motion.
But for now, Swain’s main strengths exist on the ball. Scoring is not a problem for Swain, who embraces every chance to work the ball downhill and create opportunities at the basket. He averaged 5.6 free throw attempts per game last season, a reflection of his ability to force the issue at the rim.
Swain is an efficient rim finisher, but he will need to keep improving his shooting to truly make an impact in this rebuild. This seems like an achievable project for the wing, who improved his 3-point percentage from 15.4% as a freshman to 34.4% as a junior. Still, Swain’s shooting profile will prove one of the first major challenges in player development for the Bulls under this new regime.