New Man on Campus: Caleb Wilson
Caleb Wilson is the exact type of player who could emerge as a star for not only the North Carolina Tar Heels but as one of the biggest lottery tickets in the 2026 NBA Draft.
Wild card prospects are always some of the most fun to evaluate. The flaws may be obvious, but the always enticing question of “what if” always looms. Regardless of whatever the improvement area may be, the rest of the game and tools are just too much fun to quit. Sometimes, that approach can lead to trouble. However, it’s also incredibly satisfying when it leads to awesome developmental stories and surprising draft stock rises. One of the prospects for the 2026 NBA Draft who fits this billing the most is the North Carolina Tar Heel’s new man on campus, Caleb Wilson.
At 6’10” and 215 pounds, Wilson has a nearly ideal blend of physical tools for the modern forward. He’s big enough to protect the rim and rebound, while also being quick and explosive enough to guard in space. Wilson’s physical profile gives him a starting point that few people in the world are afforded. Where this makes the biggest difference in Wilson’s game is on the defensive end of the floor.
Wilson has an awesome motor and can be highly disruptive in all areas of the floor. This year’s North Carolina team should have some very serious size, and when they run out a front court of Wilson with Henri Veesaar, their rim protection and rebounding should be fantastic. By having both of those guys roaming the baseline, there should be at least one terrific weakside rim protector on the court for essentially the whole game. Whether it’s in transition, on a broken play, or a schematic design that has defenders playing at the level of screens, Wilson gives the Tar Heels a ton of secondary rim protection.
More importantly, though, Wilson also has the athleticism and technique to switch in space. If teams try to pull Wilson away from the rim, then they have to deal with a 6’10” forward with an alleged 7’ plus wingspan who can sit down in his stance and slide his feet. Most players of Wilson’s size don’t defend on the ball like this. They too frequently abandon their fundamentals, cross their feet, and rise up out of their stance. Wilson, though, far more frequently executes his fundamentals, allowing him to defend basically anyone on the court.
Wilson has all the tools to join a long list of incredible UNC defenders. That doesn’t mean he’s perfect, though. Most of Wilson’s defensive lapses come when he’s away from the ball. He can get caught ball-watching, lost in space, and closing out sloppily. All of these things are incredibly common with high schoolers, and they definitely aren’t to the point of red flags. However, if Wilson is going to be described as a potentially elite defender, as he should be, he still needs to clean them up. Through coaching, reps, and experience, it’d be shocking if these lapses persisted. If they’re still being discussed come March, though, then the conversation may change.
While Wilson’s defense is largely thrilling, his offensive game is a bit more of a mixed bag. One of the most exciting aspects of Wilson’s offense is the versatility of his rim pressure. Wilson can constantly keep defenders on their heels with his threat of getting to the rim. Whether he’s cutting from the corner, operating as the roller, running in transition, or operating with the ball, Wilson is incredibly difficult to keep from the rim. Once he gets there, he also has the strength, touch, and explosiveness to finish in a myriad of ways.
The flip side of that, unfortunately, is that Wilson wasn’t overly consistent or reliable as an on-ball creator. He didn’t regularly display counter moves, could get out of control, and would make predetermined moves. There are some fun and encouraging flashes, but Wilson has a way to go to be a consistently reliable on-ball creator.
Along with his on-ball creation flashes, Wilson has also shown some shockingly fun playmaking capabilities. He sees the floor well and has the utmost confidence in his passing. Sometimes it led to errant passes, but it also produced some stunning highlights and baskets that had no business being made. This type of playmaking is stuff that can really elevate an offense.
The key, though, is for Wilson’s ball skills to be utilized properly. He may one day grow into more of a primary or secondary creator, but there’s a lot of work to be done to hit that threshold. Where Wilson’s offensive creation can be maximized, though, is in transition and as a tertiary creator in the halfcourt. On defensive rebounds and broken plays, Wilson should be a menace for the Tar Heels. He can grab and go the distance, make a 60-foot hit ahead, run an impromptu pick-and-roll, or punish defenses with kickouts off offensive rebounds. As his handle and passing accuracy continue to improve, Wilson’s offensive facilitation could reach some fascinating heights. Even if they’re closer to a finished product, though, he still has more than enough juice to upgrade the ball movement and creativity of his team’s offense.
What is far from a finished product, though, is his shooting. Wilson has some games where he can get hot and make tough shots, but there wasn’t much consistency with the results or mechanics. Thankfully, the mechanics look solid enough. The foundation of Wilson’s shot looks encouraging despite some of his numbers. With some minor tweaks, mainly with his lower body fundamentals, it wouldn’t be shocking if Wilson grew into an average shooter at the very least. Wilson doesn’t seem to lack confidence in this area of his game either, which is hopeful. I wouldn’t expect Wilson to light the nets of fire, but if he can hang in the mid-30s with his three-point percentage on decent volume, it would be an auspicious start.
If Wilson continues to improve as he has been, players like Jaden McDaniels and Franz Wagner should be the archetypes he aspires to. Those are different players, but we can see remnants and flashes in Wilson’s game. He has the tools to impact the game in whatever way he’s needed. If he refines a few areas or takes a major leap in others, there are some extremely fun outcomes for Wilson. The league is littered with forwards like Wilson, but with a bit of polish, he could break through that barrier into a special group.
There is a bounty of questions around the freshman class for the 2026 NBA Draft, with very few prospects separating themselves from the pack. Someone always breaks out, though, and this year that player could very easily be Caleb Wilson. Wilson’s combination of physical tools, ball skills, and defensive capabilities is exactly what most NBA teams look for. Wilson not only has the ability to play a ton of winning basketball for North Carolina this season, but the potential to make a lot of noise in next year's draft.