Caleb Wilson Makes His Mark as a Top Ten Player in the Class of 2025

Like any young hooper, Caleb Wilson often looked to the most obvious sources for inspiration. “When I was younger, I used to only look at the stars—LeBron, Kobe, the big names,” he explains. But my father told me that there are many people I don't know.”

A willingness to accept his father's guidance helps explain how, when asked to name some of his favorite players in the game, the 18-year-old rattles off a list of guys that would please any hoops-savvy dad—and probably many grandpas, too. “I look at Tracy McGrady, Penny Hardaway, John Stockton, Steve Nash, David Thompson, Alex English. I look at Clyde Drexler, Rick Barry, Chris Mullin and Run TMC, Nique, young Shaq in Orlando, and then the Lakers—I could go on and on with Magic and Kareem…”

He smiles. “I can go on. I know a lot about basketball.”

Of course, his appearance in the magazine means that Wilson is more than just a knowledgeable fan. The 6-9, 205-pound forward from Atlanta's Holy Innocents' Episcopal School is also a consensus top-10 prospect in the class of 2025, with a game informed by that multi-generational collection of NBA legends and current stars like Nikola Jokic. With the game's positionless revolution entrenched, it makes sense that a man like Wilson would look far and wide for inspiration. “I feel like every player has traits you can learn from,” he says, “especially the big ones.”

Wilson still has a long way to go before he can hear his name mentioned in the same way as the aforementioned All-Stars and Hall of Famers, but he has come a long way. He was a late bloomer compared to most of his peers near the top levels, and memories of how far he felt from the game's elite provide enough motivation now that he is among the best high schoolers in the country. “I feel like a lot of young kids look up to me because of that, so I want to talk about my humble beginnings, my struggles as a young player,” he said. “I remember that I'm not the best player—it stuck with me. Just because you're not good at something now doesn't mean you won't be good at it later.”

Wilson's rise is proof of that, as evidenced by his production at Holy Innocents (he had 21 points, 15 rebounds and 4 blocks last season) and the Nike EYBL circuit, as well as his invitation this summer to USA Basketball U18 junior national. group camp. Yes, big time programs have taken notice. As of press time, Auburn, UNC, Stanford and Duke were among the favorites to bring him to campus in 2025.

Low-key off the court—”I like to play video games, I watch a lot of TV, mostly anime, and sometimes I make Legos,” he says—Wilson is committed to the sport and is often in the gym. He's still somewhat offensive, he's athletic and experienced enough to get his own points or get his teammates involved, and as those blocking numbers prove, he has the potential to be a game-changer on D. Talent and motivation go a long way, of course, but ultimately, Wilson says the foundation of his game is nothing more complicated than accountability and putting in the work.

He says: “I feel like it's moral and responsible. “When you tell yourself, I will do somethingand you keep at it, you build confidence in yourself. I was honest with myself about that: Caleb, you're going to drip every single day for 30 minutes, you're going to do push-ups, you're going to do sit-ups every single day. It allows the belief that you can do better. You are competing with yourself.”

Photos by Omar Rawlings.