The 2026 NBA Draft class is shaping up to be one of the deepest in recent memory-and it’s not just hype. There’s a legitimate case to be made for at least 10 freshmen as potential top-five picks, and the battle for that coveted No. 1 spot is wide open.
Kansas’s Darryn Peterson, BYU’s AJ Dybantsa, and Duke’s Cameron Boozer are leading the charge, but don’t sleep on North Carolina’s Caleb Wilson. He might not be the consensus top guy right now, but he’s firmly in the mix-and for good reason.
Wilson is widely viewed as the next man up after the “big three,” and barring something unexpected, he’s a near-lock to hear his name called within the first five picks this summer. What makes Wilson such an intriguing prospect isn’t just his size-though at 6-foot-10 with elite-level athleticism, that certainly helps-but the subtle layers to his game, especially in the post. He’s not just a run-and-jump athlete; there’s real nuance to how he scores, particularly with his footwork and touch around the rim.
That athleticism? It was on full display Tuesday night against Miami, even in a game where the Tar Heels came up short, losing 75-66.
Midway through the first half, Wilson delivered the kind of play that makes scouts perk up in their seats-soaring to pin a shot by fellow five-star freshman Shelton Henderson against the backboard. It was the kind of chasedown block that screams NBA-ready athleticism.
Plays like that don’t just show up in the stat sheet; they show up in draft war rooms.
Wilson did leave the game briefly with a hand injury but returned with it wrapped. Head coach Hubert Davis downplayed the impact postgame, but Wilson’s numbers-12 points on 4-of-10 shooting-suggest he wasn’t quite himself.
Still, UNC leaned on him down the stretch, feeding him in the post as they tried to claw back into the game. It just wasn’t his night.
And that’s okay.
This wasn’t just a Wilson issue. The entire Tar Heel squad looked a step slow, which isn’t too surprising considering the emotional and physical toll of their comeback win over No.
4 Duke just days earlier. That game took a lot out of them, and it showed.
Miami, meanwhile, brought the kind of physicality inside that’s given Wilson some trouble this season. He and frontcourt mate Henri Veesaar have both struggled at times when matched up against more rugged defenders.
Against Duke, it was a different story-Wilson had a field day exploiting mismatches. He used his height to shoot over Maliq Brown and his quickness to face up and beat Cameron Boozer off the dribble.
But Miami didn’t give him those same windows.
That contrast is where NBA teams will focus their evaluations. The question isn’t whether Wilson can score-he clearly can-it’s how he’ll handle stronger, more physical defenders at the next level.
And yes, there may be an adjustment period. But when you combine Wilson’s frame, athleticism, and emerging skill set, there just aren’t many players like him.
Even in the NBA, 6-foot-10 guys who can run the floor, elevate for blocks, and score with finesse in the post are rare commodities.
So maybe he doesn’t project as the go-to scorer that Peterson or Dybantsa might become. And maybe he won’t be the offensive engine that Boozer is shaping up to be.
But Wilson’s ceiling is sky-high. He’s a modern frontcourt weapon who can impact the game on both ends-and that kind of upside is exactly what teams at the top of the draft are looking for.
In a class this stacked, it’s hard to separate the stars from the superstars. But Caleb Wilson is doing enough to stay firmly in that conversation.