Caleb Wilson’s “Personal” Statement Night Fueled UNC’s Win Over Kansas

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — If you know anything about Caleb Wilson, he is a goofy yet intelligent 18-year-old kid who loves to crack jokes with his teammates and read books about stoicism.

However, there was no joking around with Wilson leading up to the Kansas game last Friday—he looked like he was out for blood. Hubert Davis noticed this intensity and even encouraged Wilson to crack a quick smile, giving him a moment to see what was on the mind of an intensely focused Wilson.

“I just told him like, ‘Bro, this s— matters to me,’” Wilson said on Friday after the game. “I was pissed off all week. First of all, they say they got someone on the other team who’s better than me. And then also, it’s Kansas, and we haven’t beat them in 23 years. This is personal.”

That “someone on the other team” was Kansas freshman guard Darryn Peterson, a 6'6" wing many people consider to be the potential No. 1 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft. It’s also worth noting that just a week before the game, Jeff Goodman of The Field of 68 released his ACC preview article and ranked Wilson as only the fifth-best freshman in the conference.

Here is our Preseason Top 10 ACC Freshmen 🔥

Who’s too high? Who’s too low? 👇

ACC PREVIEW ➡️ https://t.co/CG8n0Zk8de pic.twitter.com/HJJZ00t9P3
— The Field of 68 (@TheFieldOf68) October 27, 2025

It only got worse during pregame warmups.

Nov 7, 2025; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels forward Caleb Wilson (8) reacts in the second half at Dean E. Smith Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

As usual, he and the rest of the big men went through their pregame routines with assistant coach Sean May. However, the chip on Wilson's shoulder grew into a giant boulder when he glanced over at the Jayhawks during the pregame session and noticed they lacked the same intensity.

“They weren’t going full speed,” Wilson said. “They were laying the ball up in warmups, that type of stuff. That pissed me off. I kind of like Michael Jordan and what he says, ‘I took that personal.’ Because when I’m warming up to play Kansas, I’m dunking and I’m getting hyped, and they’re just over there being nonchalant. So I’m like, ‘Bro, they really think they got us.’”

Wilson Shines in Statement Night

Wilson set the tone early, opening the scoring with a well-timed putback dunk. He finished with a career night, posting a game-high 24 points on 9-for-11 shooting, seven rebounds, four assists and four steals in North Carolina's 87-74 victory.

“I feel like I’m a great player,” Wilson said. “People underestimate me, and they’re gonna keep doing it. But honestly, I’m always gonna prove people wrong.”

Wilson ignited the crowd in the first half with a pair of hustle plays. He ripped a defensive board away from Flory Bidunga, then dove for a loose ball and drew a foul on the very next possession. His energy drew a loud ovation from the Smith Center faithful.

“One of the things that we talk about (is), ‘We just need one, and everybody will follow suit,” Davis said after Friday’s win. “And the fans feed off of that, and it resonates with them because it shows somebody that he not only cares about his game, but cares about this program and this university.”

Nov 7, 2025; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; Kansas Jayhawks guard Tre White (3) shoots as North Carolina Tar Heels center Henri Veesaar (13) and forward Caleb Wilson (8) defend in the second half at Dean E. Smith Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

In his first two college games, Wilson has been a force, averaging 23 points, 5.5 rebounds and 3.5 assists while shooting 77.2% from the field (17-for-22). He’s 11-for-15 at the line. Wilson's relentless effort drew 10 fouls against Kansas—two more than the entire opposing team—and he sank 11 of his 15 free throw attempts.

And to top everything off, Goodman later apologized to Wilson on The Field of 68: After Dark podcast for ranking him No. 5 among ACC freshmen. Wilson responded with a grin, revealing he kept the graphic as his phone wallpaper to stay motivated.

ICYMI: @GoodmanHoops issues an official apology to Caleb Wilson: "I screwed up"

"It's been my wallpaper ever since you ranked me there" - @CalebWilson2025 😂👏

🎥: https://t.co/MRz1MiV1TY pic.twitter.com/xv5rWQPkqf
— The Field of 68 (@TheFieldOf68) November 8, 2025

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