University of North Carolina Athletics
Wilson Named To Naismith Trophy Player Of The Year Late-Season Team
February 19, 2026 | Men's Basketball
North Carolina freshman forward Caleb Wilson is one of 30 players and 10 freshmen named on Thursday to the 2025-26 Naismith Trophy Men's College Player of the Year Late-Season Team, the Atlanta Tipoff Club announced.
Wilson is one of three Atlantic Coast Conference players on the list, including Cameron Boozer (Duke) and Ebuka Okorie (Stanford).
The Atlanta native leads the Tar Heels with 19.8 points and 9.4 rebounds per game. He has set UNC freshman records by scoring in double figures in all 24 games to begin his career and with 17 20-point games.Â
Wilson leads the nation in dunks with 66 and ranks among the top five in the ACC in scoring, rebounding, field goal shooting (.578) and double-doubles (11). He is currently out of action with a broken bone in his left hand.
Other players on the list include:
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Wilson is one of three Atlantic Coast Conference players on the list, including Cameron Boozer (Duke) and Ebuka Okorie (Stanford).
The Atlanta native leads the Tar Heels with 19.8 points and 9.4 rebounds per game. He has set UNC freshman records by scoring in double figures in all 24 games to begin his career and with 17 20-point games.Â
Wilson leads the nation in dunks with 66 and ranks among the top five in the ACC in scoring, rebounding, field goal shooting (.578) and double-doubles (11). He is currently out of action with a broken bone in his left hand.
Other players on the list include:
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| Full Name | Year | Position | School |
| Darius Acuff Jr. | Freshman | Guard | Arkansas |
| Nate Ament | Freshman | Forward | Tennessee |
| Christian Anderson | Sophomore | Guard | Texas Tech |
| Flory Bidunga | Sophomore | Forward | Kansas |
| Cameron Boozer | Freshman | Forward | Duke |
| Jaden Bradley | Senior | Guard | Arizona |
| Brayden Burries | Freshman | Guard | Arizona |
| Silas Demary Jr. | Junior | Guard | UConn |
| A.J. Dybantsa | Freshman | Forward | BYU |
| Zuby Ejiofor | Senior | Forward | St. John's |
| Jeremy Fears Jr. | Sophomore | Guard | Michigan State |
| Kingston Flemings | Freshman | Guard | Houston |
| Ja'Kobi Gillespie | Senior | Guard | Tennessee |
| Keyshawn Hall | Senior | Forward | Auburn |
| Thomas Haugh | Junior | Forward | Florida |
| Graham Ike | Graduate Student | Forward | Gonzaga |
| Joshua Jefferson | Senior | Forward | Iowa State |
| Alex Karaban | Senior | Forward | UConn |
| Yaxel Lendeborg | Graduate Student | Forward | Michigan |
| Ebuka Okorie | Freshman | Guard | Stanford |
| Darryn Peterson | Freshman | Guard | Kansas |
| Labaron Philon Jr. | Sophomore | Guard | Alabama |
| Pryce Sandfort | Junior | Forward | Nebraska |
| Braden Smith | Senior | Guard | Purdue |
| Bennett Stirtz | Senior | Guard | Iowa |
| Tyler Tanner | Sophomore | Guard | Vanderbilt |
| Bruce Thornton | Senior | Guard | Ohio State |
| JT Toppin | Junior | Forward | Texas Tech |
| Keaton Wagler | Freshman | Guard | Illinois |
| Caleb Wilson | Freshman | Forward | North Carolina |
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Players Mentioned
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