Caleb Wilson throws subtle shade at Darryn Peterson UNC fans can appreciate

Caleb Wilson is built different.

Yes, Tar Heel fans knew this for quite some time, but this week's NBA Summer League action has proven just that.

Ahead of this year's event, the main focus was on the matchups between the top picks in this year's draft class. Wilson battled against Cameron Boozer in his first NBA Summer League game, and was set to square off against both Darryn Peterson and AJ Dybantsa on back-to-back nights.

However, the No. 1 and No. 2 picks in the draft were both shut down just prior to their summer league showdown against Wilson.

After competing in the second game of the Chicago Bulls' back-to-back, Wilson was asked about his fellow draft classmates sitting out.

Wilson, as you would expect, wasn't afraid to speak his mind about the topic.

Caleb Wilson throws subtle shade toward his fellow draft classmates

“I feel like I’m different than all of them," Wilson said. "Not to say they don’t, but I enjoy basketball. I love this shit. I’m going to play as much as I can."

Wilson knows he's built different. Unfortunately, not everyone has his mentality of simply wanting to play the sport of basketball, competing essentially anytime he has the opportunity to do so.

Sure, his injury sidelined him for five months, which adds to his drive and desire to be out on the court, but let's face it: injury or not, Wilson would still be begging to play in NBA Summer League games, even though he's proven enough through three appearances thus far.

When asked if he was disappointed that Peterson and Dybantsa didn't play, Wilson focused mostly on Peterson, the No. 2 overall pick in the draft class. He threw some shade his way, citing how him being held out changed Wilson's mindset.

“I felt yesterday was weird because I expected Darryn to play," Wilson said. "So when I came into the game, I didn’t have the right mindset.”

Caleb Wilson already hushed his biggest NBA doubt that he couldn't while at UNC

Without a doubt, being passed on by three teams in the draft definitely doesn't sit right with Wilson. He wants every opportunity to prove how those teams made a huge mistake by letting him fall to Chicago, and definitely is annoyed that the chance to compete against two of those guys was robbed from him due to "load management."

Peterson sat quite enough at Kansas, there's no reason why both guys couldn't play at least one more summer league game to give the fans the show they were craving for.

Don't worry- Wilson will keep this all handy in his notes on his phone, using it as even more motivation when he finally squares off against both players when the regular season rolls around in just a few months. As if Wilson needed any additional motivation, those guys ducking the smoke will add even more to it for the former Tar Heel star.

What this week has shown is simple: Caleb Wilson is built different, much different than others who were taken before him in the 2026 NBA Draft.

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