North Carolina star Caleb Wilson breaks thumb on dunk, out for season

The freshman season for Caleb Wilson is over.

The North Carolina forward broke his right thumb during a non-contact drill at Thursday’s practice and has already undergone surgery to repair the fracture, according to Shams Charania of ESPN.

North Carolina later confirmed the injury in a statement, saying the break occurred during a dunk.

While Wilson’s college season is finished, the expectation is that he will be cleared for basketball activities during the pre-draft process. That should keep him firmly in the mix near the top of the 2026 draft.

Wilson, a 6-foot-10 forward, has been outstanding in his lone season at UNC. He averaged 19.8 points, 9.4 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 1.5 steals and 1.4 blocks across 24 games.

Most draft projections already place him among the top prospects in the class, often behind only Darryn Peterson, AJ Dybantsa and Cameron Boozer.

Injuries unfortunately became part of Wilson’s story late in the season. He had already been sidelined since Feb. 10 with a fractured left hand and had hoped to return in March before suffering the thumb injury.

Assuming he recovers in time for draft workouts, Wilson’s NBA outlook should remain strong.