Caleb Wilson has NBA Summer League debut circled on calendar

Zack Pearson, Tar Heels WireFri, Jul 10, 2026·1 min read

The 2026 NBA Summer League is officially underway, and some former North Carolina Tar Heels' will hit the court for the first time in the next stages of their career. That includes Caleb Wilson, who was the fourth overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, going to the Chicago Bulls.

Wilson hasn't played in an actual game since February, when he got hurt in UNC's loss to Miami. Although he attempted to come back before the year ended, he suffered another injury, which ruined any chance of a return.

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But on Friday, Wilson will officially make his Summer League debut, facing off against Cameron Boozer and the Memphis Grizzlies. It's a game he has had circled for a while.

“I remember getting injured, and all I was ever thinking about was I’ll be playing on July 10th. And that was like 3, 4, or 5 months ago," Wilson said. "So I’ve been waiting for this opportunity for a long time. It’s kind of surreal to see how fast it all went by. But I’m definitely excited to play. I feel like when I do play out there, it will be kind of like today, a little jitters because you haven’t played in so long. But I’ll be good.”

Wilson and Boozer have faced off before but that's not why he has this game circled. His return to the court will be on Friday and it's something he targeted since he got hurt the second time.

We know just how important motivation is for Wilson and how he has ways to remind himself. We have a feeling he will have a lot of motivation all season long.

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This article originally appeared on Tar Heels Wire: Caleb Wilson has NBA Summer League debut circled on calendar