Before becoming a household name just a few weeks into the college basketball season, Caleb Wilson was simply a joyful kid who happened to be 6-foot-8 and naturally talented at basketball—though his height certainly played a part.
Varsity basketball coach Mario Mays was determined to build a powerhouse program at HIES, and when he first met Wilson, he knew he had found his centerpiece. Mays instantly recognized the significant impact Wilson could have on the team—not to mention that being 6-foot-8 gave him a unique advantage right from the start.
“Well, first thing, he was a 6-8 eighth grader coming out of middle school,” Mays said of Wilson while laughing. “You start to think, ‘Man, we’ve got an opportunity to build the program, you know, the next four years around this kid,’ and so that was kind of my first thought. Like, this kid is huge.”
“You know, I got the opportunity to see him play that spring, and I was just like, ‘Man, this kid has a wide range of skills, and it’s going to be amazing to watch him grow.’ And so that was the thing. You know, I saw him play in the spring with his AAU team. Then we got ready for our summer camp, and he just did some things you don’t see the average young guy do in summer camp.”
Jason Rutledge, upper school principal at Holy Innocents’ Episcopal School, was immediately struck by Wilson’s personality and manners when he and his mother, Sabrina, arrived to plan his high school coursework. Rutledge knew Wilson came to play basketball — all he had to do was look up — but had no idea just how talented he was.
“I didn’t know that much about Caleb at the time,” Rutledge said of Wilson. “Knew that he played basketball and was, you know, a really nice kid, great family, but I had no idea at the time that he was going to be the talent that he turned into, and I didn’t realize that until I saw him play.”
Rutledge, who played at the Division III level and coached high school basketball for a while as well, knew that Wilson was a different type of player by his junior season
“I played against Andre Patterson in high school and then coached against Derrick Favors when he was in high school and he played in the league for 10 years,” Rutledge said. “I instantly realized Caleb is way ahead of both of them at the same age, so I knew he was special.”
What made Wilson stand out to Rutledge, other than his height and skill, was his down-to-earth nature, which is an admirable quality to have, given his stature, even going back to high school.
“He’s kind of got that Magic Johnson type charisma that can, you know, just come in and make everybody feel at ease and kind of light up a room, while, in the meantime, still taking care of his business, taking care of academics and early morning, late night practices, and, you know, all of the things that come with that.”
The Transformation
Before Wilson’s senior season, there was a lot of pressure around Holy Innocents due to the expectations surrounding the program after it had just lost in the state championship by just five points to North Oconnee in the GHSAA Class AAAA State Championship game. Wilson scored 26 points and 18 rebounds.
At the start of Wilson’s senior season, the team was not playing together and something seemed off. Mays called in Rutledge, who is also a sports psychology teacher at Holy Innocents’ Episcopal School, to speak with the team and help them turn pressure into diamonds.
“You could sense the pressure; it was almost like watching an All-Star game—players were more individualistic and weren’t playing for each other. Scouts were watching, and the pressure of being recruited to the next level was apparent.”
Rutledge told the team that simple acts of togetherness, like players helping each other up and positive physical interactions, are linked to increased confidence and better performance. Citing a study and the example of Steve Nash’s MVP season, Rutledge emphasized that more high-fives and camaraderie build stronger teams.
Rutledge addressed the team’s lack of chemistry, which led to immediate improvement. He also singled out Wilson not only as the team’s best player, but also its top leader, urging him to involve his teammates rather than let them stand around and watch.
“I challenged him to take on that responsibility—and he was the type who could take feedback and criticism because he is always looking to grow. He has that Mamba Mentality, always seeking every edge to get better. He absorbed everything I discussed and put it into practice.”
Wilson, who is never satisfied, understood this and quickly made changes.
“You could see immediate changes: his assertiveness, how he engaged the whole team, giving high-fives, and doing all the things a leader does. That’s what sets him apart. He isn’t the type who shies away from challenges or avoids failure to protect his hype. That’s not Caleb. He has that Kobe Bryant mentality—facing down challenges and lifting everyone around him.”
Not only did Wilson record 21.6 points, 11.1 rebounds, 5.0 assists, 3.6 blocks and 2.1 steals per game that season, he and his teammates also ended up winning the school’s first state title.
Mays described Wilson as a “giver”, some one who selfless, hard-working leader whose generosity, positivity and team-first mentality make him both an exceptional athlete and an even better person. For Wilson it’s natural, and that’s why he and his teammates got better over the course of the season.
“He just worked extremely hard to continue to get better, challenge yourself constantly. And then he found out how to challenge his teammates, which really kind of made us better. And some people can challenge teammates in a manner in which it turns them off, but he found a way. He found that balance to be able to challenge them in a way that, you know, it made him better.”
The Killer Instinct
Leading up to the Kansas game on Nov. 7, Wilson was locked in to the point that it spooked Davis.
“I just told him like, ‘Bro, this s— matters to me,’” Wilson said on Friday after the game. “I was pissed off all week. First of all, they say they got someone on the other team who’s better than me. And then also, it’s Kansas, and we haven’t beat them in 23 years. This is personal.”
That “someone on the other team” was Kansas freshman guard Darryn Peterson, a 6-foot-6 wing considered by many to be a potential No. 1 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft. Just a week before the game, Jeff Goodman of The Field of 68 ranked Wilson as only the fifth-best freshman in the ACC in his conference preview.
Mays knew Wilson would be motivated before the game because he is always searching for something to drive him. He recalled how disappointed Wilson was after returning home from the McDonald’s All-American Game, remembering that Cameron Boozer, AJ Dybantsa and Peterson had the ball most of the time, leaving Wilson little chance to showcase his skills.
“He’s a high-level basketball player, but he’s also a very intelligent kid that understands how to get himself going,” Mays said. “And, you know, if you’re going to be great, you got to know how to push your own buttons. I think that’s just a part of his makeup; he understands how to push his own button, but he also works his tail off.”
Wilson was the best player on the court, finishing with a game-high 24 points on 9-for-11 shooting, seven rebounds, four assists and four steals as he powered the Tar Heels to an 87-74 victory — a breakout performance that made him a household name in college basketball.
“I think he did a great job on the national stage, being able to show everybody else: ‘I’m as good as, or better than, these guys that are in this top conversation,’” Mays said. “I want to be considered in this top conversation; I’ve got something to offer and I’ve got some things to show.”
Mays said Wilson’s greatest asset is his ability to impact the game as a winner, not just as a scorer. Mays emphasized that Wilson prioritizes winning over individual statistics, which sets him apart from other players.
“I hope when the draft comes—these people get paid a lot of money to do what they need to do—the one thing that they are seeming to already realize: hey, this kid is a winner. So, you know, hopefully that’ll move him up that ladder, because I think he deserves to be in the conversation with the top brass of freshmen and the top players that’ll be in the draft mixture.”
