North Carolina freshman phenom Caleb Wilson put together an outstanding debut campaign at the college basketball level. But unfortunately, his season came to an end with a couple disappointing injuries.
Wilson broke his wrist during a loss to the Miami Hurricanes on Feb. 10. Then a few days before the Tar Heels’ regular-season finale against the rival Duke Blue Devils, the 19-year-old forward broke his thumb while dunking during a non-contact workout.
This most recent injury essentially ends Wilson’s college basketball career as North Carolina enters the ACC Tournament and March Madness.
Wilson is widely expected to go off the board as a top pick in the 2026 NBA Draft. But following an announcement that named him First Team All-ACC on Monday, the college basketball star shared a reaction that got fans talking.
“Run it back?” Wilson wrote in the comment section, hinting at possible return to Chapel Hill.
“The thing is he should go pro. It really isn’t even a question. Hes going to be a top 5 pick. You don’t return when that’s the case, but the thing with him is, if he come back he’d almost certainly be the #1 pick in 2027,” one fan wrote.
“He ain’t running it back when he’s going to be in the top 5 picked in the NBA draft,” another said.
“He can probably get a ton more exposure as a UNC player than an NBA rookie. (Remember Zion at Duke?). So with the right sponsorships, he could make enough to make staying a better business decision,” another added.
Wilson joined the Tar Heels as a five-star recruit out of Atlanta prior to the 2025-26 college basketball season. He more than lived up to expectations, finishing his first season in Chapel Hill averaging 19.8 points, 9.4 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 1.5 steals and 1.4 blocks per game.
“It was a dream for him to play in the ACC and NCAA Tournament,” North Carolina head coach Hubert Davis said of Wilson. “My heart is broken that he won’t be able to do that.”
UNC secured the No. 4 seed in the ACC Tournament, earning a double bye. The Tar Heels will take the court in Charlotte for their first conference tournament matchup on Thursday.