Caleb Wilson on How Emotion Shaped UNC’s Triumph Against Kansas

North Carolina forward Caleb Wilson addressed the media after No. 25 North Carolina's 87-74 win over No.19 Kansas. Wilson finished with 24 points on 9-of-12 shooting, adding seven rebounds, four assists, and four steals. He also drew 10 fouls, two more than the rest of the Tar Heels combined.

To hear what he had to say, check out the video below and there's a partial trancript to go along with it.

On Henri Veesaar…

UNC — Nov 7, 2025; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels center Henri Veesaar (13) scores in the second half at Dean E. Smith Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

Kind of give you playing almost every minute in that second half. He's a dog. I mean, I don't got enough to say, like, he holds me accountable on the court. If I don't box out, he'll come to me and say, “Come on Caleb, you gotta box out!” in a meaner tone. Henri's my guy. Like he's pushing that. He pushed me to be better every day, and he always holds me accountable. It's nice to have a vet kind of like that with him, because, like, he's taught me so many little things like touch shots and things like that. But he was a great guy. He played a great game. I was trying to emphasize looking at the high level. He had the size advantage. He did what he had to do.

On being aggressive…

Nov 7, 2025; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels forward Caleb Wilson (8) with the the ball as Kansas Jayhawks guard Jamari McDowell (11) defends in the second half at Dean E. Smith Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

I played so many roles in my life on a basketball court, like I've been the last person on the bench and I've been the star. So like, I keep, I carry all those tricks with me. If the ball's on the floor, like I'm trying to go get it because Coach (Hubert) Davis always tells me we got to win every 50/50 ball, that's a 50/50 ball. So go be aggressive and go get it.

On Seth Trimble telling the locker room about not beating Kansas in 23 years Caleb Wilson feeling UNC was getting disrespected ahead of Kansas…

Nov 7, 2025; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels head coach Hubert Davis with guard Seth Trimble (7) in the second half at Dean E. Smith Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

I definitely think we did. And honestly, he was just telling us, like, like, we it's personal. Honestly, that's all he was saying. Like, I felt it even in the warm ups, like they weren't going full speed. It was laying the ball up in warmups, like, that type of stuff that pissed me off. Kind of like, Michael Jordan, and what he said, I took that personal.

Because when I'm warming up to play Kansas, I'm dunking, I'm getting hype, and they just over there being nonchalant. So I'm like, bro, they really think they got us. So it's a lot of stuff that says, said, but I kind of had already, already had my stuff.

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