One of Caleb Wilson's main goals when he came to North Carolina was to leave with his number hanging in the Dean Smith Center rafters.
Mission accomplished!
Caleb Wilson earns a historic accolade
One of the criteria to have your jersey honored by North Carolina is to be named a first or second team All-American by the Associated Press.
On Tuesday, the 2025-2026 selections were revealed, as Wilson earned Second-Team All-American honors.
Another jersey in the rafters 🙌@CalebWilson2025 has been named @AP Second Team All-American. pic.twitter.com/0jiIWDcbkZ
— Carolina Basketball (@UNC_Basketball) March 17, 2026
An incredible freshman season
An Atlanta, Georgia native, Wilson became the 54th Tar Heel to earn first-team All-ACC honors. He's the first freshman to accomplish this since a fellow named Tyler Hansbrough did in 2006, and joins Psycho T and Antawn Jamison (1996) as the only Tar Heel freshmen ever to do so.
Pretty elite company right there!
Wilson will become the 55th player to have their jersey honored by the UNC basketball program. He follows RJ Davis, whose No. 4 was recently lifted to the rafters, as the latest Tar Heel to earn the prestigious accolade.
UNC's duo of Caleb Wilson and Henri Veesaar rightfully earn All-ACC accolades
As a true freshman, Wilson established UNC freshman records for highest scoring average (19.8 points per game), most consecutive games to begin a career with 24 games in double figures, and 20-point games (17). He becomes the first UNC basketball player ever to lead the team in points, rebounds, and assists per game as a freshman.
There's been some amazing players who have called Chapel Hill home, but only two qualified for honored jersey status as a freshman.
Caleb Wilson and Tyler Hansbrough.
Legacy Secured
There was no doubt that Wilson, who is likely to enter the 2026 NBA Draft, already cemented his legacy in Chapel Hill. However, the AP Second-Team All-American nod places his No. 8 jersey right where it belongs in the rafters of the Dean Smith Center.
His legacy is one that will live on for generations to come, as we may not see a better overall season from a true freshman than we witnessed this year watching Caleb Wilson compete for North Carolina.