The North Carolina basketball team is striving to return to the NCAA tournament this season. One of the team's new players is getting some love as the season starts. Caleb Wilson is getting flowers from CBS Sports reporter Matt Norlander.
“He is a freshman that looks like he's been playing in college for years,” Norlander said of Wilson.
"He is a freshman that looks like he's been playing in college for years." — @MattNorlander on @UNC_Basketball's Caleb Wilson after the Heels' big win Friday night against Kansas.
We have yet another ELITE newcomer in college hoops. pic.twitter.com/1agaj7iMFT
— CBS Sports College Basketball 🏀 (@CBSSportsCBB) November 8, 2025
The CBS analyst made the comments after North Carolina defeated Kansas, 87-74, on Friday. Wilson scored 24 points in the game.
“What I saw here from Carolina was a team that across the board was underrated heading into this season,” Norlander added.
The Tar Heels are currently 2-0 on the season.
North Carolina basketball is looking to have a great season
The Tar Heels limped into the NCAA tournament during the 2024-25 season. Many fans didn't believe North Carolina basketball was worthy of a bid, after having an underwhelming year in the ACC.
North Carolina is out to change that perception this season. A non conference win over Kansas certainly gets things started on the right foot. Wilson, a freshman, played 31 minutes of action while leading the charge for the Tar Heels.
“I want to impress my coach. I want to impress the world,” Wilson said, per ESPN. “I want to let the world know who I am for sure.”
He certainly put together an impressive performance. North Carolina scored 58 points in the second half to pull away with the victory.
“I wanted this new team, this new group, to have evidence of what it's like to play in a game like this in the Smith Center and to come up big,” North Carolina head coach Hubert Davis said. “I just wanted them to have a taste of what it's like to be here.”
Another key player for the Tar Heels was Seth Trimble. The guard posted 17 points in 36 minutes of action, and 13 of those points came after halftime.
“It validates [Davis'] thoughts and the vision that he had,” Trimble said. “It takes some early stress off of him, getting a big win like that. And it gives not only him, but this whole team a bunch of confidence going into the rest of the season.”
Davis said getting a win over a tough Kansas team was excellent. The Jayhawks are always one of the top programs in the country.
“I won't remember the score, but I'll remember them jumping around in the locker room,” Davis said. “I'll remember the smiles on their faces.”
North Carolina now moves on to face Radford on Tuesday.
