North Carolina freshman Caleb Wilson has been just as good as any freshman in the country, but it seems like he’ll likely be the No. 4 overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft with Cameron Boozer, AJ Dybantsa and Darryn Peterson ahead of him. Whichever way the top three go, it seems like there’s a guaranteed top two options and Boozer is the third.
As of now, HoopsHype’s Cyro Asseo has Wilson at fourth right now, adding that scouts love him.
“Scouts and executives love Caleb Wilson’s performance at UNC this year, and he is a walking highlight reel and an electric watch,” Asseo wrote. “An immediate NBA transition threat, he dunks everything while using his quickness to make secondary moves and find cutters.
“Wilson has surprised people with his playmaking, which has taken a significant leap,” the report continued.
I like Wilson a lot as a player and think NBA teams should be very happy with him, but it’s important to point out how average to below average of a shooter he is. Only attempting one attempt per game, Wilson will have to develop that part of his game.
However, he does some other things well, and I think that’s the more important part to point out right now for such a young player.
His impact on the defensive end has been incredible, and Asseo pointed that out.
“He's also transformed into one college basketball's best rim-protecting defensive anchors.”
That two-way impact has made him very valuable to the Tar Heels, a team that’s been one of the worst defensive teams in the ACC.
Under Hubert Davis, Wilson has been given the grace to grow through mistakes, and that trust has paid off. In his defense, Davis can’t not play him when he makes mistakes, given how bad this team has been at times.
From an NBA perspective, Wilson checks a lot of boxes with his size, athleticism, defensive versatility, and more. As long as the jumpshot continues to improve, everything else is NBA-ready.
I wouldn’t be surprised to see him fall a bit if the shot doesn’t develop, but at the very worst, he should be a top-10 guy.