UNC's Caleb Wilson Earns First Major Honor This Season

UNC freshman Caleb Wilson has earned his first major honor of the season after a breakout performance that showcased his talent and leadership in the Tar Heels’ win over Kansas.

Nov 3, 2025 | Freshman Caleb Wilson against Central Arkansas | Jackson McCurdy, North Carolina Tar Heels On SI

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – Entering his freshman season feeling underestimated, North Carolina’s Caleb Wilson has quickly captured the spotlight, proving himself a force and reshaping perceptions with each game.

On Monday, the Atlantic Coast Conference named him the ACC Co-Player and Co-Rookie of the Week along with Virginia Tech's Neoklis Avdalas.

Wilson finished with 24 points on 9-of-11 shooting, adding seven rebounds, four assists, and four steals in North Carolina's 87-74 victory. He also drew 10 fouls, two more than the rest of the Tar Heels combined.

Caleb making noise early 🗣️

🔗 https://t.co/PsHeg3rs2Y pic.twitter.com/lyjqd1P9rz

— Carolina Basketball (@UNC_Basketball) November 10, 2025

Wilson became just the second Tar Heel freshman—joining Coby White—and only the fourth UNC player overall, alongside Walter Davis and Mike O’Koren, to record at least 24 points, seven rebounds, four assists and four steals in a single game. He finished with a plus-21 rating against the Jayhawks, including plus-17 in the second half, as North Carolina erased an eight-point halftime deficit and secured a 13-point victory.

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 and 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.

UNC Defeats Kansas for the First Time in 23 Years

Nov 7, 2025; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels forward Caleb Wilson (8) dunks the ball as guard Seth Trimble (7) is in the background near the end of the second half at Dean E. Smith Center. | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

No. 25 North Carolina toppled No. 19 Kansas, 87-74, snapping a five-game losing streak against the Jayhawks—a run that included the 2022 national championship loss. The Tar Heels last beat Kansas in 2002.

Caleb Wilson led UNC with 24 points, seven rebounds, four assists and three steals. Henri Veesaar added 20 points and Seth Trimble had 17 points, eight rebounds and three steals. Kansas’s Darryn Peterson finished with 22 points.

Kansas led by 10 late in the first half, but North Carolina answered with a 12-3 run before the Jayhawks closed the half up 37-29.

After scoring just 29 points on 33.3% shooting and hitting only 3-of-15 from beyond the arc in the first half, the Tar Heels responded with 58 points in the second half, shooting 66.7% from the field and 41.7% from three-point range. UNC also cleaned up its ball handling, committing 10 turnovers in the first half—including four by center Henri Veesaar—but only one in the entire second half.

Nov 4, 2025 | Freshman Caleb Wilson against Central Arkansas | Jackson McCurdy, North Carolina Tar Heels On SI

Guards Kyan Evans and Seth Trimble ignited North Carolina’s second-half surge. After shooting a combined 1-for-10 in the first half, Trimble scored 13 of his 17 points after halftime, while Evans added 12 points, going 5-for-7 from the field and 2-for-3 from three-point range in the second period. Their offensive turnaround fueled a balanced Tar Heels attack in the final 20 minutes, as fans at the Dean E. Smith Center roared with approval.

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