A pair of hand injuries limited Caleb Wilson to only 24 games at North Carolina.
Caleb Wilson only played in 24 games for North Carolina because of hand injuries.
On Feb. 10, Wilson broke a bone in his left hand when he attempted to block a shot and fell to the ground.
Then, on March 5, Wilson fractured his right thumb when he struck the rim during a practice drill.
Wilson arrived at the NBA Draft Combine this week in Chicago with both hands fully healthy and a renewed appreciation for the game heading into the 2026 NBA Draft.
“I never really felt like my hand injury was a setback,” Wilson said, via The Athletic. “Of course, I was heartbroken when it happened. But my hand’s perfectly fine now, and I feel like it offered me a different perspective on basketball in general, just because once I injured my hand, now I’m way more grateful to play. Every day I wake up and I get the opportunity to play and just be able to shoot and dribble and stuff like that. I just feel grateful for the opportunity, and I wasn’t as grateful as I am now.”
Wilson averaged 19.8 points, 9.4 rebounds and 2.7 assists per contest for UNC while shooting 57.8% from the field, 25.9% from beyond the arc and 71.3% from the free-throw line.
Wilson was named a second-team Associated Press All-American, a distinction that will ensure that he will be included among the honored jerseys in the Smith Center rafters.
Asked what he will bring to a team, Wilson said, “Leadership and focus, honestly. Of course, I can score. Of course, I can rebound and do all those things. But I feel like being a leader and really being able to kind of impact winning and impact the culture of the team is going to be something I really bring from day one."
Many draft scouts have compared Wilson to six-time NBA All-Star Jermaine O'Neal. If Wilson can have a career like O'Neal's, that would be a huge success.
Most people who cover the NBA believe Wilson will go to the Chicago Bulls, who have the fourth overall pick.
The Bulls haven't made the playoffs since 2022. If they land Wilson, Chicago's rebuild will get accelerated.
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