Per a release from North Carolina basketball, Caleb Wilson, one of the top prospects in the 2026 NBA Draft class, is set to miss time due to a hand fracture suffered in Tuesday’s bout against Miami.

Caleb Wilson out with fracture in left hand. pic.twitter.com/sI1zr4JG0A

— Carolina Basketball (@UNC_Basketball) February 12, 2026

Wilson injured his hand mid-game, and went for X-rays, which came back negative. He eventually returned to play and finished the game, though further imaging later on revealed the fracture.

There is currently no timetable for his return, though Wilson himself feels confident enough he’ll be back:

It’s not over

— Caleb Wilson (@CalebWilson2025) February 12, 2026

Wilson’s been one of the breakout stars of the 2026 draft class, getting off to a hot start with the Tar Heels and failing to slow down. So far, he’s averaged 19.8 points, 9.4 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 1.5 steals and 1.4 blocks per game while shooting 58% overall. Simply put, he’s been one of the best players in the country at just 19. 

Now, he’s slated to miss time, and it begs the question: how will it affect his draft stock?

The easy answer is that it won’t.

At 6-foot-10 with immense length and two-way ability, Wilson’s already cemented himself as a top-five prospect in the class, and very likely No. 4 just behind Darryn Peterson, Cameron Boozer and AJ Dybantsa.

This injury isn’t likely to affect NBA organization’s long-term outlook of Wilson, which in the least is a high-level role player who can dunk, defend and pass, and at most is a moldable two-way star. NBA teams won’t let one injury — especially one that assuredly won’t affect his long-term play — change how they feel about a player that’s will remain with the franchise for two long-term contracts.

It was likely going to be hard for Wilson to break into the top-three anyways, given his limitations as a ball-handler and shooter at just 25% from beyond the arc on the season. Teams that consider him higher than No. 4 will be athleticism-slanted anyways, which certainly won’t be affected by the hand injury.

His injury is sure to send a ripple effect through North Carolina however, as the eleventh-ranked Tar Heels now lose their best scorer and defender. Wilson’s natural motor and energy were a key part of helping them to be competitive on a night-to-night basis.

North Carolina next takes on Pittsburgh, and has just seven games left until the end of their regular season. From there they’ll play the ACC Tournament, then move on to the NCAA Tournament.