By Adam Lucas
ATLANTA—In the aftermath of Carolina’s 91-75 win over Georgia Tech on Saturday, an unexpected Carolina Basketball summit occurred in an unassuming McCamish Pavilion hallway.
Caleb Wilson had just finished a 22-point, six-rebound, five-assist, one-steal performance and was still in full uniform. When he emerged from the locker room, he was greeted by Kenny Smith and Charlie Scott, both of whom had attended the game (Mitch Kupchak was also at the game) and made the long walk up the steep ramp that leads to the visiting locker room in Atlanta.
Wilson already knew Smith, having announced his commitment to Carolina live on television with the former Tar Heel point guard and current NBA studio personality. But he didn’t know Scott, which Smith quickly remedied.
“This right here,” Smith said, “is Charlie Scott. He was an NBA All-Star. He won an Olympic gold medal. He was an All-America. He went to the Final Four.”
“Whoa,” Wilson said, suitably impressed.
“No, that’s not it,” Smith said. “Charlie Scott is the first African-American scholarship athlete in the history of the University of North Carolina. This guy right here is history. He is history!”
Now Wilson was really impressed. “This,” he said, “is Carolina Basketball royalty right here.”
That’s the kind of day it was in Atlanta. Wilson set an all-time UNC freshman record by scoring at least 20 points for the 15th time this year, breaking the mark held by Tyler Hansbrough—another Tar Heel legend who was milling around that back hallway after the game, having provided analysis on the Tar Heel Sports Network.
During the game, Hansbrough’s broadcast position was across from the UNC bench at approximately the foul line, which gave him the perfect view of a second half Wilson turnaround jumper. “That is such a tough shot,” Hansbrough said as Wilson elevated over his defender and swished the shot from 15 feet away.
Then Hansbrough said something that is perhaps the highest praise from a Tar Heel who has scored more points than anyone in program history and isn’t easy to impress. This is someone who has seen it all and—to be more accurate—has done it all.
“Wow.”
Hansbrough will remember that jumper. The rest of the Tar Heel world will be forever imprinted by Wilson’s first half dunk off a soaring pass from Kyan Evans. It immediately goes on the (stuffed) Wilson freshman highlight reel, and also deserves a spot on any comprehensive Carolina Basketball dunk highlight tape. He shouldn’t have caught it. It didn’t appear that he would catch it. But somehow, he just kept elevating, speared it behind his head, and artfully slammed it through.
It was more than enough to make the trek through the frigid temperatures and occasional snow flurries worth it for a crowd that appeared to be at least 50 percent blue. McCamish Pavilion’s capacity is listed as 8,600; Saturday’s attendance was 8,700 in a building where the highest previous attendance this season was 6,781. The last time the Thrillerdome had a sellout? Nearly two years ago to the day, when the opponent was…Carolina.
The first “Tar…Heels!” chant was heard eight minutes into the game, and it continued all the way until hundreds of Carolina fans bundled up to line the walkway to the UNC team bus after the win. A kid standing near the Carolina tunnel held a sign that said “Caleb, I made you a card.” Atlanta pseudo-mayor and fanatical Tar Heel Greg Parent greeted everyone and welcomed them to his city. Atlanta Carolina Club president Raquel Hudson helps organize over 10,000 Tar Heel alums in the metro area; it only seemed like all of them were there on Saturday.
They saw a quality win. Carolina’s rotation is coming into focus. Wilson and Henri Veesaar are the centerpieces. Seth Trimble is the steady veteran and consistent perimeter scorer. Derek Dixon is learning how to run a team at the ACC level and has cranked up the Tar Heel tempo. Luka Bogavac has back to back double-figure scoring games for the first time since before Christmas.
Wilson gives the Tar Heels a star power the program needs. That “Tar…Heels” chant eventually turned into “Ca-leb Wil-son.” This season is about introducing him to the nation. But it’s also about ensuring he understands what he became part of when he announced that commitment on national television. Atlanta belongs to Caleb Wilson, sure. He signed the deed while he was levitating on that alley-oop.
It’s cool to be Caleb Wilson. But he’s also reminding people that it’s pretty cool to be a Tar Heel, spreading the word back here in his hometown and throughout college basketball. He’s the unusual 19-year-old who seems to understand that it’s meaningful to be part of something that’s even bigger than yourself, and that appreciating what happened before you arrived on campus only enhances your accomplishments.
Carolina head coach Hubert Davis had also been in that hallway outside the locker room. He mostly just watched, a proud parent watching three generations of Tar Heel basketball connect. He loved the win, of course. He loves that Carolina has been one of the most efficient offenses in the country since the start of ACC play. “They played together,” Smith said to Davis when praising the team’s play on Saturday, and both nodded, because both were taught the same way by the same people–play hard, play smart, play together.
But ask Davis and he would likely tell you one of the primary reasons he is doing the job is to try to cultivate something that has been an important part of his life since he rode in the back of a car piloted by Walter Davis and Phil Ford. Times have changed and so has college basketball. It’s not always possible to do things the old way. There are agents and NIL and transfers.
But on the days it is possible to do things the old way, well, those days are important. As he watched Smith, Scott and Wilson connect, the smile on Davis’ face made his favorite part of the day very clear.
Caleb Wilson began the day as a great player who had never heard of Charlie Scott (Dean Smith called him “Charles,” but that’s a lesson for another day). He ended the day as a great player who understands more about being a Tar Heel, because members of his Carolina Basketball family cared enough to venture into the snow to show their support.
“It’s awesome,” Davis said on the THSN. “Seeing the former players here is so encouraging. It’s great for our current players, so they will get to see how big this thing is. It’s not just about the current guys. It’s the family. It’s the former coaches, players and managers. There’s a bond and a connection here that is unmatched by anywhere else in the country.”
