​Tar Heel Nation is buzzing after a record-setting performance by Caleb Wilson in his NBA Summer League debut. Wilson, who was selected fourth overall in this year’s NBA Draft, poured in 35 points for the Chicago Bulls in a narrow 97-96 loss to Cameron Boozer and the Memphis Grizzlies on Friday night. He supplemented his scoring with five rebounds, three blocks, and two steals, demonstrating his ability to influence the game on both ends of the floor.
The hype continued into Saturday morning when Wilson earned a spot in the SportsCenter Top 10, grabbing the third slot for his chase-down block against Grizzlies guard Javon Small. SportsCenter Top 10 highlights the best plays from the previous day’s games, with dramatic catches, clutch hits, and jaw-dropping dunks frequently earning a spot among the featured clips. Tar Heel basketball fans are no strangers to Wilson’s high-impact play, having witnessed him chase down opponents in a Carolina Blue uniform last season. He can deliver thunderous dunks one possession and sprint back to anchor the defense the next.
As the regular season approaches, Wilson is well-positioned to be a Day One starter, provided he maintains the prolific output he showed Friday throughout the Summer League. It’s likely he will split time at power forward with Patrick Williams, the fourth pick in the 2020 NBA Draft, while sharing the court with Josh Giddey, Norman Powell, Matas Buzelis, and Nic Claxton in the starting lineup.
During his lone collegiate season at North Carolina, Wilson averaged 19.8 points, 9.4 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 1.5 steals, and 1.4 blocks per game. His season was cut short by a broken hand ahead of the Duke rematch, but had he stayed healthy, the Tar Heels might have achieved even deeper NCAA Tournament results. He returned to action on Friday after five months away, and he reminded the basketball world why many project him as an NBA standout for years to come.
For ongoing updates on North Carolina Tar Heels news, notes, and opinions, follow Tar Heels Wire on X (formerly Twitter) at @TarHeelsWire and like the page on Facebook. This article originally appeared on Tar Heels Wire under the headline Caleb Wilson’s chase-down block named one of Friday night’s top plays, signaling the start of a promising NBA journey for a rising Tar Heel.