UNC's Caleb Wilson undergoes season-ending thumb surgery

Confirming the news, the school said in a press release that the injury occurred on a dunk.

Although Wilson may have played his last game as a Tar Heel, he’s expected to cleared for basketball activities during the predraft process, Charania reports.

Wilson has had an outstanding season at UNC, averaging 19.8 points, 9.4 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 1.5 steals and 1.4 blocks in 31.3 minutes per game across 24 outings. The 6-foot-10 forward has widely been viewed by draft experts as a top-five pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, frequently ranking behind only Darryn Peterson, AJ Dybantsa and Cameron Boozer on big boards.

Unfortunately, the second half of Wilson’s freshman year has been marred by health issues. He fractured his left hand last month and had been sidelined since February 10 — he was recently cleared for individual workouts and had hoped to return at some point in March before he sustained his latest injury.

Assuming Wilson has fully recovered by the draft, the thumb injury is unlikely to have much of an impact on his stock, so he should still be one of the first few players off the board this June.