North Carolina freshman star Caleb Wilson, a 6-foot-10 forward, broke his right thumb in a non-contact drill in practice on Thursday and has undergone season-ending surgery, reports ESPN’s Shams Charania.
A projected top-five pick, Wilson is expected to be cleared during the NBA pre-draft process in May.
Wilson had been sidelined since Feb. 10 with a fracture in his left hand, but coach Hubert Davis expressed optimism earlier this week that the big man would be able to play on Saturday against No. 1 Duke.
When healthy, Wilson was one of the most dominant forces in college basketball and a legitimate contender for the Wooden Award. Through 24 games, he averaged 19.8 points, 9.4 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 1.5 steals and 1.4 blocks. He led UNC in all of those categories except assists.
The Tar Heels sit at fourth in the ACC with a 12-5 league record (24-6 overall). They are projected to be a No. 5 seed in the NCAA Tournament by Hoops HQ’s bracketologist Brad Wachtel.
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