Caleb Wilson set UNC records and learned Tar Heels history during his homecoming

What Caleb Wilson is doing during his freshman season at North Carolina is truly historic.

On Saturday, not only did Caleb Wilson make his own UNC basketball history, but he also learned about one of the trailblazers who wore the Carolina Blue uniform.

Let's start with Wilson. The current star of the Tar Heels broke two single-season freshman records in the team's victory over Georgia Tech. While playing in his home state, Wilson took sole possession of the following records:

- Most consecutive double-digit scoring games to start his career (passing Rashad McCants)
- Most 20-point+ scoring games (passing Tyler Hansbrough)

With 10 regular season games to go (plus the amount of games the Tar Heels earn during postseason action), it's pretty safe to think that he'll firmly cement himself at the top of both lists by the time the 2025-2026 season comes to a close.

After the game, Wilson was introduced to a true trailblazer of the program: Mr. Charlie Scott.

Kenny "The Jet" Smith discusses the interaction

Working in his regular role on ESPN's Tip-Off, former Tar Heel Kenny "The Jet" Smith was asked about the picture that was shared by North Carolina following Saturday afternoon's victory.

Having known Wilson before this (especially given that the current Tar Heel announced his commitment to North Carolina on their broadcast, which, at the time, was on TNT), Smith was filled with pride while talking about this special moment. He went on to add that he gave Wilson a bit of a history lesson, one that the soon-to-be NBA Draft lottery pick was extremely impressed by.

Charlie Scott- a true icon

Charlie Scott played a role at North Carolina like Jackie Robinson fulfilled in Major League Baseball. Scott became the first African American scholarship athlete in Chapel Hill, as the legendary Dean Smith started the trend of inclusion not only at UNC, but in college athletics as a whole.

While being a trailblazer is remarkable in itself, the career Scott had at North Carolina is somehow even more impressive!

As a Tar Heel, Scott scored 2,007 points, needing just three seasons (and 91 games) to do so. Think about it from a bigger perspective: RJ Davis, one of the best pure scorers we've seen in Chapel Hill in quite some time, scored 2,785 career points in five seasons (178 games).

If Scott had the opportunity to play in that many games, he likely would've surpassed 4,000 career points!

A two-time All-American and a three-time All-ACC selection, Scott helped guide UNC to consecutive Final Four appearances. It's safe to say that Scott continued to make history throughout his tenure in Chapel HIll.

Paving the Way

The photo shared by the UNC basketball program is special in itself. Three men who have made an outstanding impact on the program shared some time together, but the photo represents so much more than what is on the surface.

Without Charlie Scott, the opportunities for fellow African Americans might have looked very different. Scott paved the way for inclusion in college athletics and at North Carolina, allowing thousands of student-athletes across the country opportunities that were never present prior to his college days.

With Black History Month underway, this photo represents a much more profound meaning for the UNC basketball program, as Scott's legacy is one that should be celebrated each and every day.