Ahead of the 2025-2026 season, Caleb Wilson has rightfully earned a lot of attention as he prepares for his debut with the UNC basketball program.
Not only is Wilson regarded as one of the top players in his recruiting class, but is also earning some national accolades in the process.
Wilson was one of 20 players to earn spots on the annual Karl Malone Award Preseason Watch List. Heading into its celebrates its12th year, the Karl Malone Award honors the top power forward in Division I men's college basketball.
All eyes on 8⃣ #MaloneAward pic.twitter.com/qT2snzZuc5
— Carolina Basketball (@UNC_Basketball) October 30, 2025
The Atlantic Coast Conference is well-represented on this list, as a quarter of the preseason watch list players call an ACC program their home. Along with Wilson, Duke's Cameron Boozer, Bay Ndongo of Georgia Tech, Malik Reneau of Miami and Donnie Freeman of Syracuse have all earned spots on this year's initial list.
If the hype around Wilson wasn't already high enough, his performances in the UNC basketball program's pair of exhibition games simply took that hype to a whole new level. The freshman forward wasted no time making an impact, serving as an absolute force on both ends of the floor, giving everyone an early indication of just how big of a role he'll play for this year's squad.
The entire list of candidates for the Karl Malone Award Preseason Watch List can be found below:
2025-26 Malone Award Preseason Candidates
Koa Peat, Arizona
Keyshawn Hall, Auburn
Michael Rataj, Bayor
Cameron Boozer, Duke
Thomas Haugh, Florida
Baye Ndongo, Georgia Tech
Graham Ike, Gonzaga
Joseph Tugler, Houston
Alvaro Folgueiras, Iowa
Joshua Jefferson, Iowa State
Malik Reneau, Miami
Caleb Wilson, North Carolina
Nick Martinelli, Northwestern
Trey Kaufman-Renn, Purdue
Bryce Hopkins, St. John's
Donnie Freeman, Syracuse
JT Toppin, Texas Tech
*Players can play their way onto and off the list at any point in the 2025-26 season.
Wilson and the UNC basketball program officially open the 2025-2026 season on Monday, November 3 as they host Central Arkansas in non-conference action at the Dean Smith Center in Chapel Hill, North Carolina.