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Caleb Wilson Shares Message to Heels Fans After Injury

Wilson suffered a fracture in his left hand earlier this week
Justin Backer|
Feb 10, 2026; Coral Gables, Florida, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels forward Caleb Wilson (8) dunks against the Miami Hurricanes during the second half at Watsco Center. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images
Feb 10, 2026; Coral Gables, Florida, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels forward Caleb Wilson (8) dunks against the Miami Hurricanes during the second half at Watsco Center. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images | Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

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North Carolina Tar Heels

The North Carolina Tar Heels saw their worst fears realized earlier this week after forward Caleb Wilson suffered a fracture in his hand.

Wilson suffered the injury during the Tar Heels 75-66 loss to the Miami Hurricanes. As deflating as the loss may have been for UNC — especially coming off of their upset win over #4 Duke — Wilson’s injury put a major damper on their hopes for the rest of the season.

After the team announced the injury, Wilson took to X to send a message to the Tar Heels’ fanbase that is now holding their breath amid the injury to their top gun. 

“I am grateful for whatever God is trying to tell me through this injury!!! I will be back Tarheel Nation… I LOVE THIS TEAM AND PROGRAM #StayTuned,” Wilson shared on X. 

Currently, there is no timetable for Wilson’s return to the court. What is certain, is that the Tar Heels will have to find a way to survive the absence of their best player. Wilson is averaging 19.8 points and 9.4 rebounds per game, shooting 58 percent from the floor, while also averaging over a block and a steal on the other end of the floor. 

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Feb 10, 2026; Coral Gables, Florida, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels forward Caleb Wilson (8) protects the basketball against Miami Hurricanes forward Malik Reneau (5) during the second half at Watsco Center. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images | Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

While UNC does have other talented players in the form of Henri Veesaar, and Seth Trimble, the loss of Wilson could prove much more consequential for the Tar Heels given his ability to take games over on both ends of the floor. It's officially prove-it time for the Tar Heels. With Wilson out of the picture for a while, UNC will look to prove they can still be a dangerous team despite his absence. 

They’ll need their reserve pieces to step up while Wilson recovers from his injury. Jarin Stevenson, Derek Dixon, Luka Bogavac, and Jonathan Powell, among others, could see increased minutes now that Wilson will be out of the rotation. With Selection Sunday roughly a month away, the Tar Heels will certainly be up to the task without their best player. 

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Feb 7, 2026; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels center Henri Veesaar (13) reacts with forward Jarin Stevenson (15) in the second half at Dean E. Smith Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

Their upcoming schedule to end out the regular season is as follows: Home vs Pitt, Away at NC State, Away at Syracuse, Home vs #24 Louisville, Home vs Virginia Tech, Home vs #20 Clemson, and Home vs #4 Duke. While it still isn’t clear when Wilson will return, their final stretch of the season proves to be a challenging one that will only be harder if Wilson can’t go. 

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Justin Backer
JUSTIN BACKER

Justin Backer brings a wealth of experience to his role as a college football and basketball general sports reporter On SI. Backer is a proud graduate of Florida Atlantic University with a Bachelor of Arts in Multimedia Studies, and has worked for such media companies as The Sporting News and the Palm Beach Post.