Tar Heels freshman forward Caleb Wilson suffered a season-ending injury, but he might not have played his final game in Carolina Blue just yet.
ESPN's Jeremy Woo projects Caleb Wilson to be the No. 4 overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, but Wilson pumped the brakes on the assumption that he'll declare.
On Wednesday, the North Carolina freshman forward told WRAL's Pat Welter, "I haven't decided that, but I love Carolina. It's a great place to play and be at. It's been the most fun year of my life, so it would definitely be hard to say no and go ahead and go to the NBA. So, it's just something that I haven't really come to a true decision with yet."
Wilson sparked rumors that he might return for his sophomore season when he commented on Instagram, "Run it back?"
Wilson broke his right thumb during a non-contact practice drill on March 5, which ruled him out for the remainder of the Tar Heels' season. Wilson had previously missed six games with a broken bone in his left hand.
Prior to injuries prematurely ruining his freshman year, Wilson was UNC's leading scorer (19.8 points per game) and rebounder (9.4). He also averaged 2.7 assists, 1.5 steals, and 1.4 blocks in 24 games for the 24-8 Tar Heels.
Should Wilson decide to go pro, Woo believes Wilson has already "done enough to sit safely among the top picks without taking the court again."
"Evaluators are curious how much more he can develop his 3-point shooting (25.9%) and ball skills, but Wilson plays exceptionally hard, having compiled 11 double-doubles and setting himself apart as an elite prospect," Woo wrote. "NBA teams have penciled him in as a top-four selection."
Wilson's absence will obviously be felt in the NCAA Tournament. The Tar Heels are the No. 6 seed in the South region and will face No. 11 VCU in the first round on Thursday evening.