Caleb Wilson’s first NBA summer league game was the kind of debut that turns heads fast. The former North Carolina standout poured in 35 points, an unofficial summer league record for a debut, while hitting 12 shots from the field and burying 7 three-pointers.
He added 5 rebounds, 2 steals and 3 blocks, giving the kind of all-around line that made his night feel bigger than just a scoring burst. It was also the first game Wilson had played since early February with North Carolina, which gave the performance an emotional edge from the start.
Wilson’s college season ended with a hand/wrist injury at a crucial point in the year, cutting short one of the best freshman campaigns in UNC history. He was averaging 19.8 points, 9.4 rebounds, and over a block and a steal per game when he went down, production that had him looking like one of the best players in the country.
North Carolina never fully recovered from losing him. The Tar Heels were left without their top scorer and top defender at once, and the season ended with a first-round NCAA Tournament loss to VCU in embarrassing fashion.
After that, the program went through major changes, including the firing of Hubert Davis and the arrival of Michael Malone as head coach. Wilson and Henri Veesaar also moved on to the NBA Draft, while much of the rotation left through the transfer portal.
After his big summer league opener, Wilson opened up about how much the last five months had weighed on him.
“Honestly, I cried before I played today,” Wilson said after his first summer league game. “It's been 5 months to the day since the last time I played.
I’ve just been really emotional because I haven’t been able to play, and I feel terrible because my team lost in the tournament, and my coach got fired; it was just a lot for me at that point. So, coming out today, it just felt like I’ve been waiting so long for this opportunity, and I’m just glad I got to come out here and play.”
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Another Belichick Defensive Building Block Just Entered UNC's Countdown
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One of the more intriguing pieces in that plan is a defensive back who brings some real versatility to the table, having played both cornerback and safety. He enters the picture with a national profile that fits the kind of class UNC is trying to build, and while the path to a major role may not be immediate with veterans already in front of him, his arrival adds another important layer to the countdown of players who could matter most for the Tar Heels down the road. [Read more 🡒]