North Carolina’s Caleb Wilson declared for NBA draft in an Instagram post.
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Wilson, a 6-foot-10 forward who can play inside or on the perimeter, has the potential to be special in the NBA, which is why he is considered a safe top-five pick in June (many teams have him in the top four, league sources told NBC Sports). There are some teams that could take him ahead of a player like Cameron Boozer because of Wilson’s size, athleticism and potential.
The Atlanta native averaged 19.8 points and 9.4 rebounds per game on 57.8% shooting. What really caught scouts’ attention were his big games in big moments: He scored 24 against Kansas, beating Darryn Peterson, and scored 23 against Duke, beating Cameron Boozer.
Wilson is a fantastic athlete and has great size for a wing, he is powerful and while he needs to develop his shot (25.9% from 3-point range this season, the foundation for him to be a good shooter is there).
North Carolina went 19-5 with Wilson in the lineup, but did not play after Feb. 10, when he suffered a broken left hand. While recovering from that, he suffered a fracture to his right thumb. Those one-time injuries didn’t hurt his draft stock, although they weren’t good for the Tar Heels, who were eliminated in the first round of the NCAA tournament.
Wilson is expected to be medically cleared to participate in the pre-draft process.