UNC's Caleb Wilson Named 2nd Team All-American, Will Have Jersey Honored in Smith Center

Caleb Wilson won’t be able to help UNC in its pursuit of raising another Final Four or NCAA championship banner over the next few weeks. His jersey, however, will forever hang in the Smith Center alongside 54 other Tar Heel greats..

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On Tuesday Wilson was named a 2^nd team All-American by the Associated Press, meeting one of UNC’s honored jersey criteria. Wilson is expected to enter the NBA Draft in June, making him UNC’s first one-and-done freshman to have a jersey honored. He joins Tyler Hansbrough as the only Tar Heels to qualify as freshmen to have their jersey honored.

Wilson led UNC with 19.8 points and 9.4 rebounds per game, and set UNC freshman records by scoring in double figures in all 24 games to begin his career, with 17 20-point games. At the time of his original injury, Wilson ranked eighth in KenPom.com‘s National Player of the Year rankings. He ranked among the top five in the ACC in scoring, rebounding, field goal shooting (.578) and double-doubles (11) and led the nation with 66 dunks.

Wilson committed to UNC on Jan. 24, 2025 during the final season of TNT’s famed “Inside the NBA” studio show with Ernie Johnson, former UNC All-American Kenny Smith, and basketball Hall of Famers Shaquille O’Neal and Charles Barkley. He chose the Tar Heels over finalists Kentucky and Ohio State, as well as a host of other high-major and blueblood offers.

UNC head coach Hubert Davis said of Wilson: “From a basketball standpoint, I think you guys know he’s just uber-talented. As much as I can talk about how impressed I am of him on the court, I’m even more impressed of him as a kid and a teammate. Everything that he talks about is never about him. And I mean that, like everything that he talks about is about the team, and it’s about North Carolina, everything.

“For someone highly ranked coming in here to not only talk about it, but only really be concerned about the welfare and the benefit of the team, is something that is rare, and it’s something that I really enjoy and love being around every day.”

The Associated Press 2025-26 All-American

First Team
Cameron Boozer, Duke
AJ Dybantsa, BYU
Yaxel Lendeborg, Michigan
Darius Acuff Jr., Arkansas
JT Toppin, Texas Tech

Second Team
Joshua Jefferson, Iowa State
Braden Smith, Purdue
Jeremy Fears, Michigan State
Keaton Wagler, Illinois
Caleb Wilson, North Carolina