×

North Carolina F Caleb Wilson declares for NBA draft

By Thomson Reuters Mar 28, 2026 | 1:30 PM

North Carolina freshman star Caleb Wilson officially declared for the 2026 NBA Draft.

The 6-foot-10 ​forward averaged 19.8 points and ‌9.4 rebounds in 24 games before missing the last nine games of the season with hand and thumb ‌injuries.

Wilson ​captioned a group ⁠of photos posted on ⁠Instagram on Friday with the words “never take it for granted” and the hashtag “8 out,” referencing his ​UNC jersey number.

Wilson, 19, was named to the All-American ⁠second team and ⁠the All-Atlantic Coast Conference first ​team and is projected to be ​a top-five pick in this ‌summer’s draft.

He sustained a fractured left hand in a Feb. 10 game against Miami, then broke ⁠his right thumb while dunking in practice on March 5 and underwent surgery ⁠the next ‌day.

The Tar Heels are ⁠in transition after firing ​head ‌coach Hubert Davis on ​Tuesday. Sixth-seeded ⁠North Carolina lost 82-78 in overtime to No. 11 seed VCU in the first round of the NCAA Tournament on March 19.

–Field ​Level Media