Did the UNC basketball team take down BYU? No, the Tar Heels fell a bit short, but that doesn't mean there aren't plenty of positives to take away from that exhibition matchup. Yup, Hubert Davis and his staff have a lot to build off of from that Friday night performance.
Obviously, it was a spectacular debut game for 5-star freshman Caleb Wilson, who has entered Year 1 with UNC with extraordinary expectations. Wilson made some fantastic plays on both ends of the floor and the Tar Heels faithful hopes this was just a taste of what's to come from him in 2025-26.
Hubert Davis shares his thoughts on the exhibition contest against No. 8 BYU
As you might have been able to guess, Davis was quite happy with the performance of No. 8 in primetime against the Cougars. With the rest of the country watching, Wilson played beyond his years and it came as no surprise to Davis, who has appreciated the humble mindset the youngster has been playing with.
Hubert Davis was quite pleased with UNC freshman sensation Caleb Wilson vs BYU
“It’s not just about his game, it’s every day," Davis said of Wilson after the final whistle. "Obviously, he’s very gifted, but he’s a great kid and a great teammate, and his competitiveness is just a joy to coach and to be around. In terms of reacting and responding, I thought he did a really nice job tonight.”
Seeing those words from Davis is pretty head-turning in the best way possible. How many times in recent years have we seen highly-rated players make their way to campus and simply not work out for the program? Whether it be lack of playing time or not having the right mindset - it's just been rough for some 5-star talents.
The opposite appears to be the case for Wilson, who's widely considered as a potential Top 10 pick for the 2026 NBA Draft. He still has plenty to learn and his game is far from perfect, but early on, the teenager has given people loads of reasons to be excited about his game.
After how inconsistent the Tar Heels were last season, major changes arrived via the 2025 high school class and transfer portal. Wilson led the way vs. the Cougars with 22 points and 10 rebounds and even more special showings are going to be on the way for him. As long as he keeps attacking things with a blue-collar mentality and doesn't get a big head, it will be huge for Davis and UNC.