Stevenson Explains How UNC has Survived, Thrived Without Wilson

Two weeks ago, the North Carolina Tar Heels saw their worst fears realized when star forward Caleb Wilson went down with an injury against Miami.

Wilson suffered a fractured hand during the team’s uninspiring 75-66 loss to the Hurricanes. At the time, it seemed like things couldn’t get any worse, not only suffering a bad loss, but also losing their best player in the process. Wilson is averaging over 19 points and over 9 rebounds per game this season, while also averaging over a block and a steal on defense.

Currently, Wilson still has no timetable to return. However, the Tar Heels have survived his absence so far, going 3-1 in the 4 games he hasn’t suited up for, 2 of which UNC was also playing without its second-best player, Henri Veesaar.

Feb 23, 2026; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels forward Caleb Wilson (8) reacts after a three point shot in the second half at Dean E. Smith Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

Reserves stepping up

In Wilson’s absence, reserves Zayden High, and Jarin Stevenson have provided a spark to fill the void. They obviously are not Caleb Wilson, but they’ve done a fine job replacing his production for the time being.

UNC most recently notched an impressive 77-74 victory over #24 Louisville. While Seth Trimble’s 30 points led the way, Stevenson had a profound impact on the game himself, scoring 9 points on 3-6 shooting, grabbing 7 rebounds, and coming away with 2 steals and 2 blocks in the win.

Stevenson’s thoughts

After the game, Stevenson talked about how the team has been able to survive without their best player, and how they aren’t too worried about any outside noise regarding UNC’s ceiling and potential.

“We’ve been growing,” Stevenson said. “Caleb’s a huge part of this team, he’s been cheering us on, he’s still a huge part of this team. But, just everybody stepping up, making plays, it’s important, just everybody getting confidence with that.”

“Of course you can hear a little bit of it,” Stevenson said regarding the narratives about the team in light of Wilson’s injury. “Really, it’s just coming down to focusing on our team, and what we can do. We’re confident in our guys, and just stepping up. We’ve seen it in practice, I’m proud of our guys.”

Feb 23, 2026; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; Louisville Cardinals guard J'vonne Hadley (1) and North Carolina Tar Heels forward Jarin Stevenson (15) fight for the ball in the first half at Dean E. Smith Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

With only a handful of regular season games left, the Tar Heels will look to keep the ball rolling despite their shorthandedness. They’ve had a strong season up to this point, and they’ll hope to see it culminate in earning a high seed on Selection Sunday by the time the NCAA Tournament rolls around.

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