Caleb Wilson commits to UNC basketball program over Kentucky on TNT

Hubert Davis and the North Carolina Tar Heels got a much-needed recruiting win early Friday morning. And it certainly felt like a must-get for the program for the future.

On Friday morning, five-star power forward Caleb Wilson officially committed to North Carolina, picking the Tar Heels over Ohio State and Kentucky. Wilson announced his commitment on TNT after Thursday’s Los Angeles Lakers and Boston Celtics game.

The 6-foot-9, 205-pound Wilson announced the decision on a major network in his hometown of Atlanta. He did so with former UNC guard Kenny Smith, who was part of the Inside the NBA crew.

The five-star Wilson is the third recruit to commit to North Carolina in the 2025 class and was the last target left for Davis and the staff. UNC really put the full-court press on Wilson, hoping to land him. And they did just that.

TARRRRRRRRR pic.twitter.com/M5ahzriR6a

— Caleb Wilson (@CalebWilson2025) January 24, 2025

Here is part of the scouting report on Wilson via 247Sports:

Wilson is an athletic and wiry four-man with significant two-way tools. He has continued to grow and now has positional size at 6-foot-9 along with a 7-foot wingspan, 9-foot standing reach, and a rangy, elastic body type. He’s gradually filing out a naturally leaner frame, but is extremely mobile for his size and able to cover the court.

Wilson’s combination of size, effortless mobility, and flexibility gives him extreme potential versatility on the defensive end of the floor. He’s already capable of guarding multiple positions, switching onto guards, and being a major rim protector (2.5 blocks per game in the EYBL). His court coverage and total defensive metrics are off the charts as he can fly around the floor covering up mistakes, getting his hands on a ton of balls, and making plays (3.8 stocks per game).

Wilson is ranked No. 6 nationally, the No. 3 power forward and No. 1 player in the state of Georgia per the 247Sports composite recruiting rankings.

Even with UNC’s struggles this season, the future appears bright with this addition. Now, Davis must find a way to succeed in the portal, depending on UNC’s roster decisions after this season.