Bill Self Pinpoints Two UNC Players Who Stand Out Before Kansas Game

When No. 19 Kansas and No. 25 North Carolina meet at the Dean E. Smith Center on Friday, several young stars will be on display.

For the Jayhawks, the headliners are freshman Darryn Peterson and sophomore Flory Bidunga, while the Tar Heels have a few standouts of their own.

During Wednesday's press conference, KU head coach Bill Self discussed what he saw from North Carolina's season-opening win over Central Arkansas. He highlighted two players who will be key points of emphasis in the game plan.

"Caleb [Wilson] is probably off to as good a start as any freshman in the country," Self told reporters. "I watched him the other night, and Carolina's got 12 points in the first three minutes of the game, and he's already got four dunks. Obviously, their post guy [Henri Veesaar] played well against us last year at Arizona."

Bill Self Game Planning for Caleb Wilson, Henri Veesaar

Wilson entered the season as a 5-star recruit in the Class of 2025, ranking just a few spots behind the top-ranked Peterson. The 6-foot-10, 215-pound forward was dominant in his Chapel Hill debut, finishing with 22 points and four rebounds on 8-for-10 field goal shooting.

He is a long, athletic forward who will likely be guarded by the shot-blocking Bidunga during many possessions, which should make for a great 1-on-1 matchup.

Self also mentioned Veesaar, who transferred from Arizona after enjoying success against the Jayhawks last season. In the Big 12 Tournament game in which the Wildcats ultimately eliminated KU, Veesaar scored 19 points and grabbed four rebounds while shooting 7-for-11 from the floor (2-for-3 from three).

Although Coach Self said he was of the opinion that last year's matchup in Allen Fieldhouse wasn't worth revisiting given the roster turnover on both sides, he did mention Seth Trimble as another player to watch for his ability to attack downhill. Trimble entered the year widely projected as North Carolina's leading scorer and scored 12 points in his first game.

Beyond those three, the Tar Heels will also rely on newcomers Kyan Evans and Luka Bogavac. Both are excellent outside shooters and will make an immediate impact.

While this UNC roster may not be its most talented on paper in recent years, it has a mix of elite defenders and perimeter shooters, making the Tar Heels a challenging opponent to prepare for. Friday's matchup should serve as a good test to determine where both teams currently stand.