Caleb Wilson’s Homecoming Carries More Than Just Hometown Ties
When Caleb Wilson steps onto the floor at McCamish Pavilion this Saturday, it won’t just be another ACC road game for North Carolina. For the freshman phenom, it’s a return to the city where he made his name - and for Georgia Tech head coach Damon Stoudamire, it’s a reminder of a major recruiting miss that still stings.
Wilson, the 2025 Gatorade Player of the Year in Georgia, led Holy Innocents’ Episcopal School to a state title and turned heads across the country with his all-around game. Stoudamire, now in his third year at the helm for Georgia Tech, was one of those watching closely.
“Ah, man, you’re just gonna rub it in my face he’s coming home to play,” Stoudamire said with a laugh during the ACC coaches teleconference. But behind the humor was a clear respect for what Wilson has become - and what he saw coming all along.
“Caleb is really good,” Stoudamire said. “Watched him a lot at Holy Innocents.
Really good kid, comes from a great family. And honestly, nothing he’s doing surprises me.
This is exactly what I expected. He’s as good as any freshman in the country.
He’s made a huge impact at North Carolina, and he’s going to be around at the next level for a long time.”
Wilson’s impact has been undeniable. The 6-foot-10 forward is averaging 19.9 points and 10.1 rebounds per game, putting him on pace to break UNC’s freshman records in both categories.
He leads the nation in dunks (62) and tops the ACC in total rebounds (201). And he’s doing it with consistency - 20 or more points in 14 of his first 20 college games, tying a freshman feat last matched by Tyler Hansbrough in 2005-06.
The kicker? Hansbrough needed 31 games to get there.
Wilson’s done it in 20.
“Everything he’s done so far might be surprising to some people because they haven’t seen it on a consistent basis,” Stoudamire said. “But he’s elite.
What stands out to me isn’t even the scoring. He rebounds the hell out of the ball.
He’s a connector, he plays hard, and he plays the right way.”
That’s high praise from a former NBA guard who spent 13 years in the league and knows talent when he sees it. And Stoudamire didn’t stop there - he believes this year’s freshman class is one of the strongest he’s seen in a long time.
“We weren’t this good at that age,” he said, reflecting on his own college days. “We weren’t expected to be this good.”
Wilson is part of a stacked group of first-year players that includes names like BYU’s AJ Dybantsa, Kansas’ Darryn Peterson, and Duke’s Cameron Boozer - all projected lottery picks in the 2026 NBA Draft. Wilson, projected to go somewhere in the 4-10 range, might not be getting quite the same buzz, but Stoudamire thinks he should.
“If there’s such a thing as being underrated, he’s a little underrated when people talk about the freshmen,” he said.
While Stoudamire has been watching from afar, UNC head coach Hubert Davis has had the best seat in the house - and he’s not taking it for granted.
“I’m just so thankful I get to coach him,” Davis said. “It’s been incredible to have a front-row seat to his development.”
Davis has seen Wilson grow not just in production, but in presence. After a two-game skid in California, the freshman responded by becoming more vocal in practice and stepping into a leadership role - something rare for a first-year player in a program with UNC’s pedigree.
“Over the last couple weeks, he’s led us with his energy,” Davis said. “And as good as he is, he still has a lot of room to grow.
The ceiling? I don’t think anyone can see it.
It’s that high.”
For Davis, it’s not just about the numbers or the highlight-reel plays. It’s about the total package - the player, the person, the teammate.
“No other coach, no other program, has it better than this combination,” Davis said. “It really is a blessing to coach him.”
Saturday’s matchup between No. 16 UNC (16-4, 4-3 ACC) and Georgia Tech (11-9, 2-5) will be Wilson’s second homecoming game this season. He already put on a show in Atlanta once - a 20-point, 15-rebound, three-block performance in a win over Ohio State at State Farm Arena.
Now he returns again, this time to face a coach who once hoped to keep him home for good. For Georgia Tech, it’s a chance to slow down one of the most productive freshmen in the country. For Wilson, it’s another opportunity to shine in front of the city that helped shape him - and continue proving he’s every bit the star his coaches, past and present, always believed he’d become.