North Carolina F Caleb Wilson declares for NBA draft

Field Level Media|published: 03/28/2026, 2:27pm EDT

Jan 14, 2026; Stanford, California, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels forward Caleb Wilson (8) dunks during warm ups before the game against the Stanford Cardinal at Maples Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Eakin Howard-Imagn Images

North Carolina freshman star Caleb Wilson officially declared for the 2026 NBA Draft.

The 6-foot-10 forward averaged 19.8 points and 9.4 rebounds in 24 games before missing the last nine games of the season with hand and thumb injuries.

Wilson captioned a group of photos posted on Instagram on Friday with the words "never take it for granted" and the hashtag "8 out," referencing his UNC jersey number.

Wilson, 19, was named to the All-American second team and the All-Atlantic Coast Conference first team and is projected to be a top-five pick in this summer's draft.

He sustained a fractured left hand in a Feb. 10 game against Miami, then broke his right thumb while dunking in practice on March 5 and underwent surgery the next day.

The Tar Heels are in transition after firing head coach Hubert Davis on Tuesday. Sixth-seeded North Carolina lost 82-78 in overtime to No. 11 seed VCU in the first round of the NCAA Tournament on March 19.

--Field Level Media