UNC Basketball Star Caleb Wilson Earns National Player of the Week

Freshman phenom leads Tar Heels to upset win over Duke, averaging 20+ points in last 5 games

Feb. 9, 2026 at 3:23pm

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The University of North Carolina basketball team pulled off a stunning upset over rival Duke on Saturday, led by the standout performance of freshman Caleb Wilson. Wilson scored 23 points, grabbed 4 rebounds, and added 2 assists and 2 steals in the 71-68 victory. His impressive play has earned him the Naismith Trophy National Player of the Week award, as he is averaging 20.2 points and 9.6 rebounds per game for the season.

Why it matters

Wilson's breakout season has been a bright spot for the UNC program, which is rebuilding after losing several key players from last year's squad. His dominant play against top-ranked Duke shows he has the talent to lead the Tar Heels back to national prominence in the coming years.

The details

Wilson, a highly-touted five-star recruit, has more than lived up to expectations in his freshman campaign. In addition to his 23-point, 4-rebound performance against Duke, he also recorded 22 points and 9 rebounds in a win over Syracuse last Monday. Wilson is averaging 20.2 points and 9.6 rebounds per game on the season, and has scored 20+ points in each of the last 5 games.

  • On February 7, Wilson was named the Naismith Trophy National Player of the Week.
  • On February 8, Wilson led UNC to a 71-68 upset win over rival Duke.
  • On March 7, UNC will face Duke again at Cameron Indoor Stadium.

The players

Caleb Wilson

A highly-touted five-star freshman recruit for the UNC basketball program, Wilson has emerged as a dominant force for the Tar Heels this season, averaging 20.2 points and 9.6 rebounds per game.

Seth Trimble

The senior guard for UNC hit the go-ahead 3-pointer with 0.4 seconds remaining to secure the Tar Heels' upset win over Duke.

Jon Scheyer

The head coach of the Duke Blue Devils, who suffered a tough loss to rival UNC on Saturday.

Hubert Davis

The head coach of the UNC Tar Heels, who has guided the team to a strong start to the season behind the play of freshman Caleb Wilson.

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What they’re saying

“We still gotta play them again. You know, it was a great win, but it's a long season. I'm glad we got the win and I feel like this is a great step in the right direction, for us as a team and me individually, but it's always onto the next. Miami on Tuesday.”

— Caleb Wilson

What’s next

UNC will face Duke again on March 7 at Cameron Indoor Stadium, in what is sure to be another highly anticipated matchup between the two rivals.

The takeaway

Caleb Wilson's breakout freshman season has been a revelation for the UNC basketball program, as the young star has emerged as one of the top players in the country. His dominant performances against elite opponents like Duke have shown that the Tar Heels have a bright future ahead with Wilson leading the way.