UNC Men’s Hoops' Capability of Staying Ranked Throughout the Season

UNC men's basketball will begin the 2025-2026 season as the No. 25 team, right behind Wisconsin, Creighton, Michigan State, Gonzaga and Auburn.

UNC basketball | Matt Giles-North Carolina Tar Heels On SI

Other notable ACC teams given a number beside their names are Duke (No. 6) and Louisville (No. 11), both of which are predicted to finish as the top two teams in the ACC, with North Carolina being third in front of NC State.

However, considering North Carolina's preseason ranking, will it be able to keep it all season long? Will it drop out of the rankings? Will it rise? Or was handing out a Round of 64 exit team in this year's edition of March Madness a mistake? One thing is for sure: this roster is a whole lot better than last year's.

UNC — North Carolina head coach Hubert Davis at the 2025 ACC Tipoff | Jackson McCurdy, North Carolina Tar Heels On SI

A big reason that sticks out for UNC's honor of being ranked to begin the season despite a 23-14 record to end the 2024-2025 campaign is its incoming group of new players. Head coach Hubert Davis and General Manager Jim Tanner (the first one in program history) gathered a batch of new players to fulfill the roster needs for this fall. But also one freshman in particular.

Caleb Wilson.

Caleb Wilson and His Star-Studded Persona

Wilson, a 6-foot-10 big, who has the skills to handle the ball, pass, shoot, rebound, dunk and a multitude of other things, will be a key piece to Davis' offense in his fifth season leading the program.

Oct 4, 2025; Charlotte, NC, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels forward Caleb Wilson (8) shoots a free throw in the first half at Dean E. Smith Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

The projected lottery pick of next year's NBA Draft will have one year in Chapel Hill to make his mark and has even said to the media in his first presser, "I'm here to make myself a legend and win a bunch of games."

Oct 4, 2025; Charlotte, NC, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels forward Caleb Wilson (8) attacks the basket in the first half at Dean E. Smith Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

The multi-million dollar New Balance shoe deal signee has embraced the culture in Chapel Hill — running out on stage during the Ludacris concert before UNC's football game against Clemson to put the Blue-White scrimmage on notice.

However, while Wilson holds a lot of the attention, the players around him boost North Carolina's odds of staying ranked throughout the year: Kyan Evans, Luka Bogavac, Seth Trimble, Henri Veesaar, Jarin Stevenson, Jonathan Powell, James Brown, Zayden High, Jaydon Young, Ivan Matlekovic, Derek Dixon and Isaiah Denis.

Oct 4, 2025; Charlotte, NC, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels guard Seth Trimble (7) on the fast break as guard Kyan Evans (0) defends in the second half at Dean E. Smith Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

On paper, this is Davis' best team top to bottom so far (although he has had plenty of talented players in the past). But it's worth noting that this is the first squad that does not have any players from Roy Williams time as head coach — as former Tar Heel RJ Davis' departure after the end of last season was the lone player remaining with Davis.

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