Caleb Wilson

[tester551]

22-12-6 in his ACC debut. The passing was immaculate. Special prospect… this is a #1 overall pick in a lot of drafts and he’ll be #4.

He's #2 on my board.

[vincecarter4pres]

This guy has physical tools like Amare Stoudemire and Shawn Kemp.

Watch on YouTube

;t=77s

Shawn Kemp is definitely one of the names that come to mind, along with Kenyon Martin and Kawhi Leonard.

Can see him being a guy who can play interchangeably at the 3 and the 4 by the time his 2nd contract rolls around and even the 5 in a pinch or to create havoc with a mismatch.

I swear I’m almost ready to put him #1 on my big board.

[ezhkw8u69e]

Kenyon Martin sucked. God that 2000 Draft was so bad. Hopefully Caleb is much better than that. The main thing that worries me right now is his handle and his face up game. He prefers to operate with his back to the basket and I don’t think he has the size or footwork to make that work like a Sengun. He feels much more like a junkyard dog who gets most of his buckets just due to his being a bigger a better athlete than everyone right now. There are flashes of skill though. In some sense he reminds me of Jaren Jackson at MSU but I think Jaren was ahead of him skillwise and somewhat bigger.

[babyjax13]

I get pre-injury Chris Webber from him. Very athletic, some surprising handles for a guy of his size but not exactly a point guard, does some damage in the midrange, good passer, blocks shots and gets steals ... the question is if he extends his range out to three.

Statistically Wilson's freshman season is really similar to Webber's sophomore year:
20p/11r/2.6a/1.6b/1.4s
56/27/70 shooting

vs

19p/10r/2.5a/2.5b/1.4s
62/34/55 shooting

They move similarly, they have similar finishes, etc.

[vincecarter4pres]

I’ve watched 3 UNC games in their entirety, but maybe I need to go back and rewatch?

Because even though I see shades of Kmart and Kemp, and even though he’s playing the 4 now, I’m still seeing him project out as a more small forward orientated 4 with massive potential.

In the vein of a Giannis, Kawhi; or AK47 with eventual beefier frame and better offensive game as a ceiling.

[babyjax13]

I’ve watched 3 UNC games in their entirety, but maybe I need to go back and rewatch?

Because even though I see shades of Kmart and Kemp, and even though he’s playing the 4 now, I’m still seeing him project out as a more small forward orientated 4 with massive potential.

In the vein of a Giannis, Kawhi; or AK47 with eventual beefier frame and better offensive game as a ceiling.

I don't think Martin is nearly as skilled. AK wasn't as good of a rebounder but there are some similarities if I squint. If Wilson adds more perimeter skills he is going to be really good/dangerous.

[vincecarter4pres]

I’ve watched 3 UNC games in their entirety, but maybe I need to go back and rewatch?

Because even though I see shades of Kmart and Kemp, and even though he’s playing the 4 now, I’m still seeing him project out as a more small forward orientated 4 with massive potential.

In the vein of a Giannis, Kawhi; or AK47 with eventual beefier frame and better offensive game as a ceiling.

I don't think Martin is nearly as skilled. AK wasn't as good of a rebounder but there are some similarities if I squint. If Wilson adds more perimeter skills he is going to be really good/dangerous.

Yeah I’m only seeing shades, as in the athleticism, dunk everything when he can, fieryness and transition play.

When I say maybe I need to go back and rewatch, I’m talking to those saying stuff like Webber, Bosh and even J O’neal, I just don’t see the stylistic comparison.

I’m still seeing an eventual more SF styled PF who can legitimately play the 3, but is best as a 4.

[babyjax13]

I’ve watched 3 UNC games in their entirety, but maybe I need to go back and rewatch?

Because even though I see shades of Kmart and Kemp, and even though he’s playing the 4 now, I’m still seeing him project out as a more small forward orientated 4 with massive potential.

In the vein of a Giannis, Kawhi; or AK47 with eventual beefier frame and better offensive game as a ceiling.

I don't think Martin is nearly as skilled. AK wasn't as good of a rebounder but there are some similarities if I squint. If Wilson adds more perimeter skills he is going to be really good/dangerous.

Yeah I’m only seeing shades, as in the athleticism, dunk everything when he can, fieryness and transition play.

When I say maybe I need to go back and rewatch, I’m talking to those saying stuff like Webber, Bosh and even J O’neal, I just don’t see the stylistic comparison.

I’m still seeing an eventual more SF styled PF who can legitimately play the 3, but is best as a 4.

I thing young Webber was perimeter oriented enough you might see him as a bit closer to that. Caleb's perimeter game, to the extent it exists, is mainly creating opportunities by putting pressure on the rim through drives. The shot doesn't consistently stretch to three yet and a lot of his non-paint baskets are turnaround jumpers.

[CP War Hawks]

Not seeing the Webber comps. CW was like one of the first point forwards to enter the league. Perhaps a more defense minded Stoudemire or worst case Stromile Swift with actual bb skills.

[vincecarter4pres]

I don't think Martin is nearly as skilled. AK wasn't as good of a rebounder but there are some similarities if I squint. If Wilson adds more perimeter skills he is going to be really good/dangerous.

Yeah I’m only seeing shades, as in the athleticism, dunk everything when he can, fieryness and transition play.

When I say maybe I need to go back and rewatch, I’m talking to those saying stuff like Webber, Bosh and even J O’neal, I just don’t see the stylistic comparison.

I’m still seeing an eventual more SF styled PF who can legitimately play the 3, but is best as a 4.

I thing young Webber was perimeter oriented enough you might see him as a bit closer to that. Caleb's perimeter game, to the extent it exists, is mainly creating opportunities by putting pressure on the rim through drives. The shot doesn't consistently stretch to three yet and a lot of his non-paint baskets are turnaround jumpers.

Sure, but the point of of comparisons for prospects is projection, not just current, obviously.

And to me if we’re talking outright ceiling and eventual finished product, Caleb is Giannis, or Kawhi, or Paul George, or beefier AK with a much better offensive game, at least stylistically.

[The-Power]

And to me if we’re talking outright ceiling and eventual finished product, Caleb is Giannis, or Kawhi, or Paul George, or beefier AK with a much better offensive game, at least stylistically.

Those are all very different players stylistically, though.

[vincecarter4pres]

And to me if we’re talking outright ceiling and eventual finished product, Caleb is Giannis, or Kawhi, or Paul George, or beefier AK with a much better offensive game, at least stylistically.

Those are all very different players stylistically, though.

They are, but he seems to have attributes from all of them mixed into one.

Hard to pin down just one, I think I’d lean towards a mix of Kawhi and the beefier AK with more offensive game.

[The-Power]

And to me if we’re talking outright ceiling and eventual finished product, Caleb is Giannis, or Kawhi, or Paul George, or beefier AK with a much better offensive game, at least stylistically.

Those are all very different players stylistically, though.

They are, but he seems to have attributes from all of them mixed into one.

Hard to pin down just one, I think I’d lean towards a mix of Kawhi and the beefier AK with more offensive game.

I think he's way less perimeter-oriented and clearly more physical in his approach than Kawhi. He also plays a faster style in the open court and approaches defense differently. Wilsons wants to dominate around the rim. He likes the post, seals his opponent close to the rim when he's mismatched, and is used as the roll-man quite a bit. He plays like a big man with some nice additional skills (open-court ball handling, but especially the court vision and passing ability) and the speed and agility of athletic wings.

I agree that he's tough to pin down but I really wouldn't use players like Kawhi or George as his comparison right now. You can see shades of Giannis in transition and in the paint, though ultimately I don't think there are really good comparisons for him out there playing right now. That makes him tougher to project but also adds to the excitement (since superstars are often mold-breaking with a unique blend of talents that only they can make work to maximum effect).

[vincecarter4pres]

Those are all very different players stylistically, though.

They are, but he seems to have attributes from all of them mixed into one.

Hard to pin down just one, I think I’d lean towards a mix of Kawhi and the beefier AK with more offensive game.

I think he's way less perimeter-oriented and clearly more physical in his approach than Kawhi. He also plays a faster style in the open court and approaches defense differently. Wilsons wants to dominate around the rim. He likes the post, seals his opponent close to the rim when he's mismatched, and is used as the roll-man quite a bit. He plays like a big man with some nice additional skills (open-court ball handling, but especially the court vision and passing ability) and the speed and agility of athletic wings.

I agree that he's tough to pin down but I really wouldn't use players like Kawhi or George as his comparison right now. You can see shades of Giannis in transition and in the paint, though ultimately I don't think there are really good comparisons for him out there playing right now. That makes him tougher to project but also adds to the excitement (since superstars are often mold-breaking with a unique blend of talents that only they can make work to maximum effect).

Would agree with all of this overall, and true, that is what makes it so hard to project out that comparison.

And that last stuff you touch on is why I’m so high on him and think he’s going to windup the best player out of this class.

[The-Power]

And that last stuff you touch on is why I’m so high on him and think he’s going to windup the best player out of this class.

I can definitely see that. I still think Dybantsa is a safer bet with a ceiling that isn't any lower, but it wouldn't shock me at all if Wilson ends up being the best player (though it also wouldn't completely shock me if he just ends up being a solid rotational player in the NBA (which to me feels like his realistic floor)).

[vincecarter4pres]

And that last stuff you touch on is why I’m so high on him and think he’s going to windup the best player out of this class.

I can definitely see that. I still think Dybantsa is a safer bet with a ceiling that isn't any lower, but it wouldn't shock me at all if Wilson ends up being the best player (though it also wouldn't completely shock me if he just ends up being a solid rotational player in the NBA (which to me feels like his realistic floor)).

Yeah, love Dybansta too. He moves awkwardly though, like a GTA character. And he’s a 3 who almost operates like a playmaking 4.

Can really see a world where the two best players from this draft windup being Wilson and Flemings.

[FarBeyondDriven]

he's an elite prospect in the same tier as Flagg but there's like zero hype surrounding him for some reason. I don't get it. He's a high motor pogo stick that dunks with power, has touch around the rim, promising looking shot, high BBIQ, very good handle for his size, elite defensive potential and can pass. Len Bias was the last guy I can remember with his size and this combination of traits and Bias was 1b to MJ's 1a in college and would have completely transformed the league and changed the course of history had he not died. I want him on the Kings so bad.

[SNPA]

he's an elite prospect in the same tier as Flagg but there's like zero hype surrounding him for some reason. I don't get it. He's a high motor pogo stick that dunks with power, has touch around the rim, promising looking shot, high BBIQ, very good handle for his size, elite defensive potential and can pass. Len Bias was the last guy I can remember with his size and this combination of traits and Bias was 1b to MJ's 1a in college and would have completely transformed the league and changed the course of history had he not died. I want him on the Kings so bad.

Agreed. This guy is the prize for Sac's crap season.

[XTC]

As someone who watched Chris Bosh grow into a star with the Raptors, it's eerie how much he resembles a young CB4.

Hes climbing my boards every single game. Hes going to be a contender for the #1 pick IMO.

[EmpireFalls]

he's an elite prospect in the same tier as Flagg but there's like zero hype surrounding him for some reason. I don't get it. He's a high motor pogo stick that dunks with power, has touch around the rim, promising looking shot, high BBIQ, very good handle for his size, elite defensive potential and can pass. Len Bias was the last guy I can remember with his size and this combination of traits and Bias was 1b to MJ's 1a in college and would have completely transformed the league and changed the course of history had he not died. I want him on the Kings so bad.

He doesn’t really shoot 3s and his handle is actually not very good, he struggles with self creation and settles for super tough acrobatic shots/finishes. It’s unclear where an off-ball 4 who isn’t a shooting threat really fits in a modern NBA offense. You should really watch the SMU tape as it was concerning in a real way.

He’s not a Flagg level prospect. He’s also not a Len Bias one either.

And I say this as someone who has watched every minute of his college career. He should go top 4, but I’d still take Dybantsa, Boozer, DP over him