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North Carolina

Caleb Wilson Impressing With Personality, Play

JeremiahHollowayby: Jeremiah Holloway09/24/25jxholloway
Caleb Wilson
Caleb Wilson (@unc_basketball)

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — What distinctly sticks out to Hubert Davis about Caleb Wilson, beyond his elite skill set, is his enthusiasm to play at North Carolina.  Wilson made his commitment to UNC live on Inside the NBA in January as a five-star recruit, and the Atlanta (Ga.) Holy Innocents prospect will make his collegiate debut with the Tar Heels this fall. Yet even with everything his high-billing has brought him, Davis said Wilson remains a team-oriented person.

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“As much as I can talk about how impressed I am with him on the court, I’m even more impressed with him as a kid and a teammate,” Davis said earlier this month when complimenting Wilson. “I think everything that he talks about is never about him. And I mean that. Like everything that he talks about is about the team, and it’s about North Carolina. Everything.”

Wilson is one of 10 new scholarship players on North Carolina’s roster this season. Over the summer, the highly touted Wilson made some strong early impressions on his teammates.

Kyan Evans, the team’s point guard transfer from Colorado State, took note of the 6-foot-10 Wilson’s athleticism. A viral clip circulated over the summer of one of Wilson’s dunks in one of UNC’s camp scrimmages, where the freshman punched one in over Henri Veesaar.

Evans was impressed by not only Wilson’s gifts as a player, but also his demeanor and approach to the game. He said Wilson’s mentality is impressive for his age, which is allowing him to find his way on the court.

“We all know he’s extremely skilled, but, a lot of times with young stars, you never know what their mindset will be like, how hard they’re gonna work,” Evans said. “And he’s a guy that, honestly, is off the charts on all levels. So he’s a guy I’m not really worried about in any way. He surprised me with some things. He’s obviously a freak athlete, but he’s got a little dog in him. He’s gonna yell at you if he dunks on you. So I really like that about him, for sure, but he’ll be special this year.”

Wilson posted averages of 21.7 points, 11.1 rebounds, 5.0 assists, 3.6 blocks and 2.1 steals per game as a senior, helping Holy Innocents to a 27-4 record and the private school state title. He earned McDonald’s All-American honors, playing in that game and the Jordan Brand Classic. Wilson was named as Georgia’s 2025 Gatorade Player of the Year.

Wilson’s gifts and status as a prospect helped him garner national attention, as he signed a multi-year deal with New Balance during the offseason.

Veesaar noted Wilson’s ability to pass the ball as something that surprised him. He said Wilson’s court vision showed up during the team’s scrimmages and that Wilson was able to connect with him well on offense.

“How good of a passer he is, I had no clue about,” Veesaar said. “The first couple of practices, I was in awe. And I was like, ‘This is great playing with him, being on the same team,’ because he was throwing me lobs. Fastbreak, he would push the ball and give you a bounce pass. He really plays like a wing or a guard who’s supposed to be a playmaker, because he will push the ball and throw it ahead, and he’s really good at it.”

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North Carolina had its first official practice on Monday. The team will open the regular season on Nov. 3 against Central Arkansas at home.

Wilson will be the fourth five-star high school recruit to play for Hubert Davis, with Elliot Cadeau, Ian Jackson and Drake Powell being the others. Wilson has impressed with his personality and his play, and he enters 2025-26 as an intriguing piece to this North Carolina team. As much as his own, Wilson is invested in UNC’s success this season.

“For someone highly ranked coming in here to not only talk about it, but only really be concerned about the welfare and the benefit of the team,” Davis said, “it’s something that is rare, and it’s something that I really enjoy and love being around every day.”