Caleb Wilson hasn't played for North Carolina since fracturing his left hand against Miami on February 10th. Rumors have swirled for a while now that the target date for Wilson's return would be the regular season finale at Cameron Indoor against Duke, but UNC head coach Hubert Davis is playing coy about it in a sad attempt at a chess move ahead of the matchup.
Hubert Davis tells me that "there's a chance" Caleb Wilson (hand) could play on Saturday in North Carolina's game at Duke depending on how the next two days of practice go.
— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) March 5, 2026
Davis on Wilson: "Nothing is definitive".
Has not played since 2/10.
Averages 19.8 PPG and 9.4 RPG.
Wilson was terrific against Duke in last month's game in Chapel Hill, scoring 23 points and leading the Tar Heels to a stunning come-from-behind victory. But whether Wilson plays or not on Saturday night in Durham, it's not likely to matter.
Duke is the better team than North Carolina whether Caleb Wilson plays or not
Duke is the better team with Wilson in or out of UNC's lineup, and it aims to prove that without a shadow of a doubt this weekend. The Blue Devils have been on a tear since the loss in Chapel Hill, reeling off seven straight wins by an average margin of victory of 24.3 points per game.
Cameron Boozer remains as dominant as ever, and role players like Caleb Foster and Dame Sarr are hitting their strides at the right time as Duke rounds into its final, terrifying form ahead of the NCAA Tournament.
For what it's worth, playing Wilson would be a foolish move by Davis. Aside from bragging rights, there's little else on the line in this second meeting of the season between Duke and North Carolina. The Blue Devils have already clinched the ACC regular-season title, and after Miami's road win over SMU on Wednesday night, the Tar Heels are locked into the 4-seed for the ACC Tournament.
That means Duke and North Carolina appear to be on a collision course to meet for a third time this year next Friday in Charlotte for the ACC Tournament semifinals. That seems like a much more realistic scenario for Wilson to play than Saturday night at Cameron.
But whether he plays or doesn't play isn't likely to impact the outcome. Duke is going to win regardless. His availability will only determine if North Carolina will have an excuse for the loss or not.