Wilson More Than Ready for North Carolina-Duke Showdown

The North Carolina Tar Heels host the Duke Blue Devils at the Dean E. Smith Center on Saturday night in a game that Hubert Davis' team needs to win to keep their aspirations for the ACC regular season title alive.

Freshman forward Caleb Wilson has been a major factor in North Carolina's success this season, averaging 20 points, 9.8 rebounds, and 2.8 assists per game while shooting 58.1 percent from the field and 25 percent from three-point range.

While speaking with the media on Thursday, Wilson shared his mindset on the game, while sharing Seth Trimble's advice entering this specific contest.

Wilson's Thoughts

Jan 17, 2026; Berkeley, California, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels head coach Hubert Davis (right) talks with guard Seth Trimble (7) during the first half against the California Golden Bears at Haas Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images | Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

“He said it’s the biggest game in your life," Wilson said about Trimble's advice. "And I think it’s [going to] be fun. Honestly, I don’t really care about the crowd. I mean, me personally, I’m really excited to go play at Duke too. I like to be the villain in games. And I just think it’s [going to] be a lot of fun. That’s really how I’m looking at it, no matter the crowd, no matter the environment, no matter the atmosphere. It’s still a basketball game.”

These types of games build legacies for players, but Wilson is treating this game as any other, focusing on finding a way to win on Saturday.

“For me personally, you’ve got to get a win, man. I’m not [going to] lie," Wilson said. "If I want to be a legend and I want to submit my name in history, this is a very good opportunity for me to do it. And it’s a very good time for our school and our team to just have some pride, dignity and get a win in the win column.”

Jan 21, 2026; 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

On the other side of this matchup is Duke's freshman forward Cameron Boozer, who, similar to Wilson, is projected to be a top-five pick in the 2026 NBA Draft. North Carolina's star forward discussed Boozer's strengths and shared their relationship off the court, as both were teammates in travel ball in high school.

“He just plays basketball in a very mature way," Wilson said. "He’s definitely a great offensive rebounder. He has ability to score in a lot of different ways, a great passer. So, it’s all about just keeping physicality with him, and keeping body contact and just trying to limit his catches and stuff like that.”

“We talk occasionally, and we were definitely close," Wilson continued. "Won a national championship, so I mean it was definitely a lot of fun, and winning brings everybody together. We haven’t talked this week.”

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