UNC basketball recruit stands out at Jordan Brand Classi
The North Carolina Tar Heels have addressed some needs in the transfer portal so far this offseason, landing four players to go with the 2025 recruiting class. While a lot of the attention has been on the portal, the Tar Heels' 2025 class is still a good one headlined by five-star recruit Caleb Wilson.
The Atlanta, Georgia product picked North Carolina earlier in 2025, being the third player to commit to the program for the cycle. And on Friday, Wilson showed why he's one of the best prospects in the class.
Advertisement
At the Jordan Brand Classic in Washington, D.C., Wilson led all scorers with 28 points as he made 13 of his 14 attempts in the game. He also grabbed six rebounds.
Wilson had a huge game in the all-star event and showcased his talent, which should make UNC fans feel good for when he arrives on campus.
The 6-foot-9, 205-pound Wilson is a five-star recruit who is ranked No. 9 nationally, the No. 4 power forward, and No. 1 player in the state of Georgia per the 247Sports recruiting rankings.
Follow us @TarHeelsWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of North Carolina Tar Heels news, notes and opinions.
This article originally appeared on Tar Heels Wire: UNC basketball's Caleb Wilson has big game at Jordan Brand Classic

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Boston Globe
10 hours ago
- Boston Globe
North Carolina players embrace new world with Bill Belichick as coach
North Carolina players hadn't spoken to reporters since last year's team ended its season with a Fenway Bowl loss to UConn three days after Christmas, all of which came after Belichick had been hired as coach for the 2025 season. Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up So Tuesday marked the first time UNC had made players available to reporters since then to discuss Belichick's arrival. That has meant being coached by someone with a long track record of success at the sport's highest level, along with getting a peek behind the terse and grumpy persona he was known for with the Patriots. Advertisement Defensive back Will Hardy said the players are used to curiosity that comes with being coached by the NFL lifer now giving college a try. 'There's a lot of that, you get a lot of 'How is Coach Belichick? What's new? What's different?'' Hardy said. 'So I've rehearsed these questions a lot with family and friends.' Advertisement The school hired Belichick in December to elevate the program at a time when football's role as the revenue driver in college sports has never been bigger. He and general manager Michael Lombardi have described their goal as building a pro-style model at the college level. It's been a key pitch as the 73-year-old Belichick made his first foray onto the recruiting trail, as well as the volume of players transferring in and out of the program. Belichick's first on-field work in Chapel Hill came during spring workouts, lodged between portal windows in December and April. 'Look, these are great kids to work with, they really are,' Belichick said Tuesday. 'We've had great buy-in. There have really been no problems at all. These guys are on time, they're early, they work hard, they put in the work in the weight room, out on the field. They spend time on their own, whether it's doing extra training or coming over and watching film and that type of thing. 'They've made a ton of improvement and these guys are a lot better than they were when we started in January, on every level. So it's exciting to see where that's going to take us.' For the players, part of the adjustment had been the reality that their coach was winning Super Bowls with quarterback Tom Brady while they were growing up and watching on TV. 'I mean, maybe at first when you see him, all you see is the Super Bowls that he's won,' said offensive lineman Christo Kelly, a Holy Cross transfer and Belichick's first portal commitment. 'But when you get here and you see the way he cares, you see the way that he approaches the game, you see how hard he works, there's no question why he has the success that he has. Advertisement 'The attention to detail, the emphasis on fundamentals, and really just kind of creating competition for the guys, that's what's getting built here. Guys are embracing it. He treats everybody with tremendous respect and it's been great.' Defensive back Thad Dixon had met Belichick before when he was at Washington, playing under Belichick's son Steve — now the Tar Heels' defensive coordinator and linebackers coach. The two shared a few conversations then, and he jumped at the chance to head east. 'I really just wanted the opportunity just to learn from somebody like that, that had did it in the league for so long,' Dixon said. Yet not every surprise has been about X's and O's. Sometimes it's simply when Belichick has dropped the all-business facade to expose an unexpectedly humorous side. 'I feel like that's the biggest curveball, you're coming to the first meeting and you're expecting it to be serious, 100 percent locked in,' said Shipp, who played 12 games for UNC last season. 'He comes in and he introduces himself and then he busts a joke. That's the second thing he said.' Hardy pointed that vibe, too. 'There are times when he'll just crack a joke out of nowhere,' he said. 'And just him being kind of monotone sometimes will make those jokes so funny.' Still, Hardy noted it's mingled amid the work, such as film sessions when 'there's no hiding' when Belichick highlights a mistake. UNC opens the season on Labor Day against TCU in a college version of Monday Night Football. Advertisement 'I've loved having 1-on-1 conversations with him,' Hardy said. 'It's cool to see and meet him personally, because you grow up and see him on TV and everything. And he's just a completely different coach and guy when you get to be around him all day. It's cool.'

Associated Press
14 hours ago
- Associated Press
Tar Heels players embrace new world as part of coach Bill Belichick's first college team
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (AP) — Jordan Shipp remembers the conversation with his roommates after learning Bill Belichick was North Carolina's new coach. 'It was just like, 'That's the greatest coach of all time,'' the receiver recalled, ''and he's about to be a coaching us.'' Belichick's arrival has triggered plenty of change for the Tar Heels, who are making a big bet on the man who won six Super Bowls as an NFL head coach to spark their football program. No one knows that better than the players — both the holdovers and the transfer-portal arrivals — after months of Belichick overhauling the roster and building the foundation on his first college team. North Carolina players hadn't spoken to reporters since last year's team ended its season with a Fenway Bowl loss to UConn three days after Christmas, all of which came after Belichick had been hired as coach for the 2025 season. So Tuesday marked the first time UNC had made players available to reporters since then to discuss Belichick's arrival. That has meant being coached by someone with a long track record of success at the sport's highest level, along with getting a peek behind the terse and grumpy persona he was known for with the New England Patriots. Defensive back Will Hardy said the players are used to curiosity that comes with being coached by the NFL lifer now giving college a try. 'There's a lot of that, you get a lot of 'How is Coach Belichick? What's new? What's different?'' Hardy said. 'So I've rehearsed these questions a lot with family and friends.' Formative stages The school hired Belichick in December to elevate the program at a time when football's role as the revenue driver in college sports has never been bigger. He and general manager Michael Lombardi have described their goal as building a pro-style model at the college level. It's been a key pitch as the 73-year-old Belichick made his first foray onto the recruiting trail, as well as the volume of players transferring in and out of the program. Belichick's first on-field work in Chapel Hill came during spring workouts, lodged between portal windows in December and April. 'Look, these are great kids to work with, they really are,' Belichick said Tuesday. 'We've had great buy-in. There have really been no problems at all. These guys are on time, they're early, they work hard, they put in the work in the weight room, out on the field. They spend time on their own, whether it's doing extra training or coming over and watching film and that type of thing. 'They've made a ton of improvement and these guys are a lot better than they were when we started in January, on every level. So it's exciting to see where that's going to take us.' Enticing opportunity For the players, part of the adjustment had been the reality that their coach was winning Super Bowls with quarterback Tom Brady while they were growing up and watching on TV. Intimidating much? 'I mean, maybe at first when you see him, all you see is the Super Bowls that he's won,' said offensive lineman Christo Kelly, a Holy Cross transfer and Belichick's first portal commitment. 'But when you get here and you see the way he cares, you see the way that he approaches the game, you see how hard he works, there's no question why he has the success that he has. 'The attention to detail, the emphasis on fundamentals, and really just kind of creating competition for the guys, that's what's getting built here. Guys are embracing it. He treats everybody with tremendous respect and it's been great.' Defensive back Thad Dixon had met Belichick before when he was at Washington, playing under Belichick's son Steve — now the Tar Heels' defensive coordinator and linebackers coach. The two shared a few conversations then, and he jumped at the chance to head east. 'I really just wanted the opportunity just to learn from somebody like that, that had did it in the league for so long,' Dixon said. Behind the curtain Yet not every surprise has been about X's and O's. Sometimes it's simply when Belichick has dropped the all-business facade to expose an unexpectedly humorous side. 'I feel like that's the biggest curveball, you're coming to the first meeting and you're expecting it to be serious, 100% locked in,' said Shipp, who played 12 games for UNC last season. 'He comes in and he introduces himself and then he busts a joke. That's the second thing he said.' Hardy pointed that vibe, too. 'There are times when he'll just crack a joke out of nowhere,' he said. 'And just him being kind of monotone sometimes will make those jokes so funny.' Still, Hardy noted it's mingled amid the work, such as film sessions when 'there's no hiding' when Belichick highlights a mistake. UNC opens the season on Labor Day against TCU in a college version of Monday Night Football. 'I've loved having 1-on-1 conversations with him,' Hardy said. 'It's cool to see and meet him personally, because you grow up and see him on TV and everything. And he's just a completely different coach and guy when you get to be around him all day. It's cool.' ___ AP college football: and
Yahoo
14 hours ago
- Yahoo
Caitlin Clark Turns Heads with Major Announcement on Monday
Caitlin Clark Turns Heads with Major Announcement on Monday originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Caitlin Clark entered the WNBA scene as one of the most highly anticipated players in league history. Clark cemented a name for herself at the collegiate level with the Iowa Hawkeyes, finishing her four-year career as the NCAA's all-time leading scorer for both men's and women's basketball with 3,951 points. Advertisement She then went on to win the Rookie of the Year and became a WNBA All-Star starter in her first year with the Indiana Fever. During the road to her second season in the WNBA, Wilson, which is partnered with Caitlin Clark, has been documenting the journey. Amid her second season, a new Wilson commercial featuring the Fever guard surfaced online. Wilson announced it has expanded Clark's basketball line to release four signature basketballs in celebration of her legacy. Wilson launched the first phase of Clark's signature basketballs in July 2024, during her rookie season with the Fever. Now, they're set to drop a new collection with the following titles on the signature basketballs: Embrace, Aspire, Oasis and Envision. The Wilson/Caitlin Clark line will be released June 23. Advertisement "Simply Caitlin, Always Basketball," posted Caitlin Clark and Wilson basketball. "Coming June 23rd, the Caitlin Clark Signature Series. Link in bio to learn more." View the original article to see embedded media. Upon the release of the announcement, some fans took to social media, sharing their thoughts on the latest news from Caitlin Clark. "Perfect Wilson," said one fan. "Simply Caitlin," said another fan. "THIS IS FIRE Also the ball with the pre game quote Caitlin Clark says to Aliyah Boston pre game ….. may have to purchase that one," mentioned one fan. "Wow. Wilson Basketball knows how to market, time to add another to collection," commented one fan. Advertisement "No one doing it for caitlin like Wilson," said one fan. "She's like a marketing dream, because we're all gonna be reposting and sharing a commercial," said another fan. Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark. Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images Caitlin Clark has missed the last four games for the Indiana Fever. She's nursing an injury, but when healthy, Clark led the Fever in points and assists. Throughout the first four games of the season, Clark posted 19.0 points, 6.0 rebounds and 9.3 assists per game. The Fever are back in action at 7:30 p.m. ET Tuesday against the Atlanta Dream. Clark's status for that game has yet to be announced. Related: WNBA Team Releases Former No. 1 College Basketball Recruit on Sunday Related: Chicago Sky Coach Sends Strong Angel Reese Message After Loss to Indiana Fever This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 9, 2025, where it first appeared.