Former Tar Heel compares Caleb Wilson to two Hall of Famers

For Caleb Wilson, one of the strongest endorsements of his NBA potential came from a fellow Tar Heel. Denver Nuggets forward Cam Johnson says the former North Carolina standout reminded him of “baby Kevin Garnett” and “baby Chris Webber” during an alumni game in Chapel Hill.

“I’ll give a quick story on this,” Johnson said recently on “The Old Man and the Three” podcast. “We have an alumni game every summer in Chapel Hill, in front of campers. It’s a fun little thing. I went back the last two years. We always win — the alums, you know, just old heads. It’s usually alums and freshmen versus the rest of the guys on the current roster.

“Last summer, when Caleb was going through his freshman year, I didn’t know that much about him. I knew he was good, I knew he was talented, I knew he was athletic. When he got on the court, I’m like, I’m going up to HD, this is baby Kevin Garnett, this is baby Chris Webber — dunking on people, playing in a short roll, iso, midrange, real deal. So I, you know, Tar Heels.”

Wilson’s recent play in the NBA Summer League offered some statistical backing for Johnson’s praise. The Chicago Bulls forward averaged 23.5 points, 7.3 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 1.3 steals in 27.7 minutes over four games in Las Vegas. He shot 50.0 percent from the field and 41.9 percent from 3-point range, ranking sixth in scoring among all Summer League players and finishing in the top 25 in rebounding.

His run included a 35-point performance against Memphis, when he hit 7 of 11 3-pointers after attempting only 27 from beyond the arc all of last season at North Carolina. He added 19 points, eight rebounds and three assists in a win over Washington, matched the 19 points with eight boards against Utah and closed Summer League with 21 points, eight rebounds and two assists against the Los Angeles Lakers on July 16.

Johnson’s comments are part of a growing chorus linking Wilson to elite forwards. The Garnett comparison has followed Wilson since his days in Chapel Hill, and national voices have echoed it, pointing to his blend of length, athleticism and skill.

For now, Wilson’s résumé consists of an eye-catching Summer League stint and the respect of former Tar Heels like Johnson. But if he continues to pair production like he showed in Las Vegas with the competitive edge Johnson described, he may yet grow into the kind of player those lofty comparisons suggest.

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This article originally appeared on Tar Heels Wire: Former Tar Heel compares Caleb Wilson to two Hall of Famers