UNC's Caleb Wilson sent a strong message to NBA teams.
During an interview with ESPN at the NBA Combine, UNC's Caleb Wilson sent a strong message to NBA teams.
Wilson, who will be one of the top picks in this year's draft said, "I will change your franchise, your culture, your program, your city. I did that at North Carolina."
Wilson also said he has some Michael Jordan in him.
Wilson appeared in 24 games for UNC this season. He averaged 19.8 points, 9.4 rebounds and 2.7 assists per contest 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.
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.
If the Wizards take Wilson, they would have a "Big 3" of Wilson, Anthony Davis and Trae Young. Davis and Young are two of the best players in the NBA.
According to Jonathan Wasserman of Bleacher Report, some NBA front office members prefer Wilson to Duke's CameronBoozer. Both players are forwards.
"There are NBA front office members who prefer Wilson to Cameron Boozer, whose athletic limitations have raised some skepticism," Wasserman wrote. "Certain scouts sound willing to bet on Wilson's open-floor ball-handling, flashes of shotmaking and passing continuing to improve, complementing the quickness, explosion and defensive range that Boozer lacks."
The Washington Wizards have the first overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft. They can take Wilson, Boozer, AJ Dybantsa or Darryn Peterson.
After the Wizards, it's the Utah Jazz, Memphis Grizzlies and Chicago Bulls. Wilson will not go past No. 4.
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