All Tar Heels

UNC Freshman Already Making a Statement in Power Rankings

It didn't take long for this North Carolina freshman to find himself at the top.
Jordon Lawrenz|
Nov 7, 2025; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels forward Caleb Wilson (8) scores in the second half at Dean E. Smith Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images
Nov 7, 2025; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels forward Caleb Wilson (8) scores in the second half at Dean E. Smith Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

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North Carolina Tar Heels

To no surprise, North Carolina freshman power forward Caleb Wilson has already made quite an impact. He found himself No. 1 in the "freshman impact watch", according to Rivals' Jamie Shaw.

UNC, Caleb Wilson
North Carolina forward Caleb Wilson | Jackson McCurdy, North Carolina Tar Heels On SI

Shaw had no choice but to place Wilson at No. 1 after his stellar first two games. Wilson led the team in scoring in both of them, a pair of dominant wins over Central Arkansas and Kansas.

Now, the Tar Heels set their sights on Radford for their third game of the year. UNC still has a few games before its schedule ramps up, but this is the perfect opportunity for Wilson to continue to perfect his game ahead of a key back-to-back stretch against Michigan State and Kentucky.

Caleb Wilson Taking The World By Storm

Shaw wrote, "Caleb Wilson has done a little bit of everything early this season for the Tar Heels." With the team sitting at 2-0, their freshman leads the team with an average of 23.0 points per game. He's the only player with 20+, though three others are averaging double digits.

  • "At 6-foot-9, Wilson is a versatile defender, able to slide his feet, guard down a lineup, and protect the rim or get in the passing lanes," Shaw continued. "He looked comfortable getting to his spots in the half-court against Kansas and has been a mainstay on the rim through two games. His impact on the game has been very apparent."

After Wilson's performance against No. 19 Kansas, there was a denial of just how special he truly is. Shaw had no choice but to place him ahead of the Jayhawks' Darryn Peterson in the rankings. In fact, Peterson is No. 3 while Arizona's Koa Peat sits at No. 2.

Wilson's Immediate Impact

Tar Heels fans are thrilled that not only do they have one of the most dominant freshmen in the country, but even Shaw has him four spots ahead of Duke's Cameron Boozer.

Boozer is one of the best recruits in recent memory, and he's a sure-fire lottery pick come draft time. This is one of the most stacked freshman classes in recent memory, which will only make this season that much more enjoyable.

Duke forward Cameron Boozer (12) sends out instructions while guarded by Tennessee forward J.P. Estrella (13) during a college basketball exhibition game between on October 26, 2025, in Knoxville, Tenn. | Saul Young/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

While it's a small sample size, UNC knows they have a special player in Wilson. His showing against Kansas proved that he belongs with the best of them, and his No. 1 ranking came as no surprise. Wilson shot 8/10 in his first game and was 9/12 in his second as he came three rebounds shy of a double-double against the Jayhawks.

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Jordon Lawrenz
JORDON LAWRENZ

Jordon Lawrenz serves as the Eastern United States College Recruiting beat writer On SI. Jordon is an accomplished writer covering the NFL, MLB, and college football/basketball. He has contributed to PFSN’s and Heavy’s NFL coverage. Having graduated from the University of Wisconsin - Green Bay with a Sports Communication and Journalism degree, Jordon fully embraced the sports writing lifestyle upon his relocation to Florida.