UNC's Caleb Wilson Draws Comparison to NBA Superstar

The 2026 NBA Draft lottery officially took place on Sunday afternoon, with the Washington Wizards landing the No. 1 pick.

While BYU's A.J. Dybantsa has been the consensus No. 1 pick in the upcoming draft, several names, including North Carolina Tar Heels' Caleb Wilson, have been involved in that conversation. The 6-foot-9, 216-pound forward is unlikely to come off the board at No. 1 overall, but the North Carolina product has made a case for going as high as No. 2.

Feb 21, 2026; Syracuse, New York, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels forward Caleb Wilson (8) shoots prior to the game against the Syracuse Orange at the JMA Wireless Dome. Mandatory Credit: Rich Barnes-Imagn Images | Rich Barnes-Imagn Images

Wilson has been somewhat underrated throughout the pre-draft process; that is no longer the case after a jarring comparison from a college basketball analyst.

Feb 10, 2026; Coral Gables, Florida, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels forward Caleb Wilson (8) drives to the basket against Miami Hurricanes center Ernest Udeh Jr. (8) during the second half at Watsco Center. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images | Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

During an appearance on Monday's episode of "Get Up" on ESPN, college basketball analyst Jay Williams provided his prediction for the top five picks, which included Wilson landing with the Memphis Grizzlies at No. 3 overall. During his reasoning, here is what Williams had to say about Wilson.

What Williams Said

Feb 7, 2026; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels forward Caleb Wilson (8) with the ball as Duke Blue Devils forward Cameron Boozer (12) defends in the first half at Dean E. Smith Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

"Caleb Wilson to me, in 10 years from now, when we re-draft this class, we could be talking about he should have been the first [player] taken in this draft," Williams said. "I think his upside is limitless. He's a guy that showed he can play with the basketball - put the ball on the ground - and that shot-making ability is what is going to propel him in the draft."

"Caleb Wilson, watching him work out, has shown the ability to put the ball down on the ground," Williams elaborated. "By the way, when I first saw him this year, the bar is Jermaine O'Neal, the ceiling, Kevin Garnett. Now, when I watch him play, the bar seems like Kevin Garnett, the ceiling seems more like Giannis [Antetokounmpo]."

Why This Is a Valid Take

Dec 20, 2025; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels forward Caleb Wilson (8) grabs a rebound from Ohio State Buckeyes forward Amare Bynum (1) in the first half at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

The only question mark for Wilson heading into the draft is his ability to shoot from beyond the arc, as he shot 25.9 percent from three-point range in 2025. Other than that, there are no concerns about production or character that should give teams reason to pause.

Wilson's ability to create opportunities off the dribble, his explosiveness, passing, defensive prowess, and ability to generate his own shot in various spots mirror the features of some of the best players in NBA history.

May 25, 2025; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Jay Williams sits on the sideline during the first quarter between the Indiana Pacers and the New York Knicks during game three of the eastern conference finals for the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images | Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

Now, Wilson obviously needs to prove that before being included in that group of players, but he illustrated countless times last season that he can be a superstar at the next level. In his lone season in Chapel Hill, Wilson averaged 19.9 points, 9.4 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 1.5 steals, and 1.4 blocks while shooting 57.8 percent from the field.

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