This is the most loaded freshman class in recent college basketball history, and maybe longer than that. It’s a legendary group, but lately, Kansas guard Darryn Peterson has dominated the storyline.
Peterson is widely considered the No. 1 player in the 2026 NBA Draft class, but his continued absences have led many to question his mentality. While, in many ways, the framing of that situation has been unfair to Peterson, it’s pretty jarring to juxtapose his maiden voyage in college basketball with Caleb Wilson’s one-and-done year in Chapel Hill.
Wilson is the No. 4 prospect in the class, according to FanSided NBA draft expert Christopher Kline, and though he’s currently out with a broken hand, missing his fourth straight game on Monday night as No. 18 UNC downed No. 24 Louisville at home, he’s still helping his case with NBA evaluators.
Despite being sidelined with a wrist injury, UNC's Caleb Wilson is still having some fun. pic.twitter.com/in5Sql8RjR
— Jonah (@Huncho_Jman) February 24, 2026
Caleb Wilson’s leadership is special for a one-and-done freshman
ESPN’s Jay Williams was quick to point out how active Wilson was on the sidelines Monday night, not just celebrating with his teammates, but standing and coaching them through the game, especially on the defensive end. Wilson grew into a role as a vocal leader when the Tar Heels hit a midseason rough patch with three losses in four games as the calendar flipped to 2026, and that has carried over even as he’s been sidelined.
Wilson isn’t shutting his season down after breaking his hand, either. He’s targeting the Duke game to close out the regular season on March 7 as his return date, and from all accounts, he desperately wants to get back out on the floor.
That’s a stark contrast from Peterson, who unexpectedly sat out a matchup with then No. 1 Arizona with “flu-like symptoms” and has routinely pulled himself out of games with cramping issues.
Now, in Peterson’s defense, he hasn’t looked 100 percent for much of the year and has missed real time with hamstring and ankle injuries. He, like Wilson, has the option to shut down his season while still being assured a top spot in this summer’s draft, and he hasn’t. He’s a special talent who is continuing to play through injury, but at no point when he’s missed time has he appeared anywhere near as engaged as Wilson was on Monday night and has been for the last four games.
Wilson may not be the elite perimeter scorer that Peterson profiles as in the NBA. As a power forward who lacks a knockdown three-point shot and prefers to do damage in the post, Wilson’s NBA projection is a bit murky, but a freakish 6-foot-10 athlete who clearly loves the game as much as Wilson does will find a way to succeed. He may not have the same upside, but Wilson will bring winning habits to the next level, and that’s impossible to ignore.