There’s no denying how disappointing Wednesday night’s 95-90 loss at Stanford is for the UNC basketball team, which proved that perimeter defense is still a struggle.
What makes the defeat even tougher is a career night from Caleb Wilson, who scored a season-high 26 points, his most in a North Carolina (14-3, 2-2 ACC) uniform. Wilson added nine rebounds, two assists and a block, as he and Henri Veesaar continuously bullied the Cardinal (14-4, 3-2 ACC) down low.
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Wilson staying another season would be a fever dream in Chapel Hill, but he very likely makes the professional jump in June’s NBA Draft. In ESPN’s latest Mock Draft, Jeremy Woo has Wilson going fourth overall to the Washington Wizards.
If Wilson plays in the nation’s capital, he’ll team up with superstar guard Trae Young, whom Washington acquired from the Atlanta Hawks earlier in January.
“Wilson has remained productive for North Carolina – and his mix of vertical explosiveness, defensive playmaking and room to grow offensively has solidified him as a likely top-five selection,” Woo writes. “While there will be important tests ahead for him in conference play, particularly a pair of head-to-head games against Cam Boozer and Duke, Wilson’s energy and winning impact, even with an unpolished offensive game, have been endearing. Teams have questions about his perimeter shooting, something he’ll have a better chance of answering in pre-draft workouts, but he has created some separation in this next tier of the draft as a potentially versatile front court standout. Wilson could fit nicely alongside the improving Alex Sarr up front, creating a team capable of playing fast while also keeping size on the court.”
If the Tar Heels want to play a brand of consistent, winning basketball, they need to get Wilson help, particularly from their underperforming backcourt. UNC needs to make the most of Wilson and his generational talent, which could very well leave Chapel Hill in a few months.
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This article originally appeared on Tar Heels Wire: Caleb Wilson a Top-5 pick to Washington Wizards in ESPN NBA Mock Draft