Caleb Wilson's Unclear Status Against Duke Updated for Tar Heels

The North Carolina Tar Heels close out the regular season against the Duke Blue Devils in a daunting road atmosphere at Cameron Indoor Stadium this Saturday. In the last meeting, freshman forward Caleb Wilson was instrumental, recording 23 points and shooting 8-of-12 from the field, while playing all 40 minutes.

Since then, Wilson has been out three weeks with a fractured left hand, and his status for Saturday is currently up in the air.

Feb 21, 2026; Syracuse, New York, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels head coach Hubert Davis reacts during the second half against the Syracuse Orange at the JMA Wireless Dome. Mandatory Credit: Rich Barnes-Imagn Images | Rich Barnes-Imagn Images

While speaking with the media during his press conference availability, head coach Hubert Davis told reporters that "there's a chance Wilson could suit up against Duke, while also making it clear that "nothing is definitive.

The 55-year-old head coach provided more details during his meeting with the media on Thursday, going in depth of what the freshman phenom has been able to do this week.

Davis' Thoughts

Feb 28, 2026; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels head coach Hubert Davis with guard Seth Trimble (7) in the second half at Dean E. Smith Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

“He has been doing individual workouts, and since we played on Tuesday, we didn’t have practice yesterday,” Davis said. “We’ll practice today. He’ll do more today. But other than that, I don’t have any other additional information.”

While Wilson could easily sit out this game and prepare for the ACC and NCAA tournaments, the 6-foot-9, 216-pound forward is doing as much as he can to be ready for this game. That is even more impressive considering that he will be a lottery pick in the 2026 NBA Draft.

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

“Obviously, he has aspirations of playing in the NBA, but he also has a burning desire to play with his friends,” Davis explained. “It’s something that he has looked forward to, it’s something that he loves, and he wants to continue to do until he can’t do it anymore.”

Earlier this week, Duke head coach Jon Scheyer also spoke on Wilson and what his impact has meant for the Tar Heels. The 38-year-old head coach has also been impressed with how North Carolina has stepped up in Wilson's absence.

Scheyer's Thoughts

Mar 2, 2026; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; Duke Blue Devils head coach Jon Scheyer looks on during the first half against the NC State Wolfpack at Lenovo Center. Mandatory Credit: Zachary Taft-Imagn Images | Zachary Taft-Imagn Images

“Obviously, he’s a really good player, had a really good first game against us. I think, ultimately, for us, it can’t change our game plan in terms of what our defensive focus is," Scheyer said. "Look at their record without him. They’ve done a great job, they’re really good."

"Now that (Henri) Veesaar’s back in there, of course. But for us, it’s playing Duke defense, regardless. It’s having great respect for him, but also great respect if he doesn’t play in knowing how good they’ve been and how they’ve won. It’s a good challenge either way for our defense.”

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