Draymond Green is calling out the critics who dismissed his comparison between Caleb Wilson and Kevin Garnett after the Chicago Bulls rookie’s impressive start brought Michael Jordan into the conversation. Wilson has scored 67 points in his first three NBA games, the second-highest total by a Bulls player over that span. Jordan remains ahead with 74 points.
Watch What’s Trending Now!
Green addressed the criticism directly in his Instagram Story after Complex Sports highlighted the statistical connection between Wilson and Jordan. “I said his floor was KG and all the dummies said I was dumb… now yall comparing him to MJ? But I’m dumb,” Green wrote, pointing to what he sees as a contradiction in the reaction to his earlier prediction.
The Golden State Warriors forward had backed Wilson’s potential months before the rookie’s NBA debut. In June, Green explained on The Draymond Green Show why he believed Wilson could become an exceptional player, using Garnett as the benchmark for his potential. Wilson’s opening performances have now brought renewed attention to that prediction.
Green’s original assessment was emphatic. On his podcast, he said, “I think Caleb Wilson could be potentially the best player in this draft,” before explaining why he viewed Garnett as a possible baseline for the rookie’s potential.
“I actually think his floor is Kevin Garnett. And man if that’s your floor, oh my God. You know how great KG was? I actually think Caleb Wilson, Kevin Garnett could be his floor. That’s how special I think Caleb Wilson is.”
Garnett established himself as one of the greatest power forwards in NBA history through his scoring, rebounding and defense. Green reinforced his respect for the former Minnesota Timberwolves and Boston Celtics star in the same Instagram Story, writing, “KG is a goat. One of the goats of the position I play.”
Wilson’s first three games help explain why the comparison has resurfaced. He scored 16 points in his NBA debut against the Toronto Raptors, then added 21 against the Milwaukee Bucks. Those totals matched Jordan’s scoring numbers in his first two NBA games with Chicago.
Wilson followed those performances with 30 points and 14 rebounds against the Washington Wizards. The Bulls lost 124-120, but his scoring brought his three-game total to 67 points. Jordan scored 37 points in his third game, finishing his first three appearances with 74 points.
The statistical connection is notable, but it does not establish that Wilson will follow Jordan’s career trajectory or reach Garnett’s level. The comparison currently rests on Wilson’s promising start and Green’s belief in his long-term potential, rather than a sustained body of NBA performances.
Green’s response is ultimately about the criticism he received for making that prediction. Wilson’s early scoring numbers have brought the rookie into a conversation involving Jordan, but it will take far more than three games to determine how closely his career might resemble either Hall of Famer.