Draft Prospect Caleb Wilson Names His Favorite NBA Player

Caleb Wilson is one of the top prospects in the upcoming 2026 NBA Draft, expected to go within the top five picks.

Wilson spoke with reporters at the NBA Draft Combine on Thursday, answering questions about his impending entrance into the league as one of the NBA’s most highly-touted prospects.

The 19-year-old forward identified Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic as his favorite player in the league.

“I really like Jokic. He was my favorite player, even before his MVP,” Wilson said. “I really liked how he played. I really wasn’t that athletic when I was younger, believe it our not.”

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While Wilson claims there was a time when he wasn’t very athletic, that’s hard to believe now. The 6-foot-10 forward is an athletic freak, as displayed during his Second Team All-American season with the North Carolina Tar Heels in 2025-26.

Wilson arrived at UNC as a highly-touted 5-star recruit and McDonalds All-American. He averaged 19.8 points, 9.4 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 1.5 steals and 1.4 blocks per game through his one-year collegiate career, enough to earn him First Team All-ACC honors.

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Wilson is looking to bring that elite production to wherever his NBA career takes him.

"I will change your franchise, your culture, your program, your city. I did that at North Carolina,” he said on Thursday.

Wilson will hear his name called during the first round of the 2026 NBA Draft, which will begin on June 23 from Brooklyn’s Barclays Center.

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This story was originally published May 15, 2026 at 7:36 AM.