5-Star PF Caleb Wilson Planning Kentucky Official Visit as UK Ramps Up Efforts

Caleb Wilson might not have been a player Mark Pope and the Kentucky staff reached out to in the first few weeks of their tenure, but that’s changed quickly. He’s now a clear priority.

The 6-foot-9, 195-pound power forward from Holy Innocents (Atlanta, GA) Episcopal School told KSR+ that Pope called him two weeks ago. Now, the Kentucky head coach wants to set up a Zoom call.

“He’s telling me how much he likes my versatility defensively and ability to affect so many things on the court without scoring,” Wilson said.

Wilson took an official visit to Kentucky under the old staff with John Calipari . He now wants to take one under Pope.

“I’m probably going to set one up for a football game in the fall,” he said.

Forming a Three-Headed Monster

Caleb Wilson was the final piece for a 17U Nightrydas Team that claimed its third consecutive Peach Jam Trophy. The program won the 15U title in 2022 and the 16U title in 2023.

“The point of this was to win and we’re winning right now,” Wilson said. “That’s all I wanted to do, finish off my senior year on the last year of the EYBL as a winner. That’s what I want to do. It’s definitely been what I wanted it to be.”

Wilson has found a way to stand out among a team filled with elite prospects, most notably Cameron Boozer and Cayden Boozer . He attributes that to his athleticism and defense.

“That’s all I’m doing out there, defending at the highest level and playing the role my team needs me to play,” he said. “I can do more and I know I can do more, but I’m doing whatever it takes to win. That’s all I care about right now.”

Wilson sees himself as a versatile player who will do whatever it takes to win in the long term. However, he’s pretty firm on being a forward rather than a big guard. He said most schools are recruiting him as a three or a four, while there are a few schools that are recruiting him as a dual-forward based on the matchup.

“I feel like I can dribble the ball really well, initiate, play in the pick-and-roll,” he said.” “I can guard every player on the court. That’s what I feel like I can do. Whatever it takes to win and whatever my team needs me to do is what I’m going to do.”

‘The Basketball Culture [at Kentucky] is Ridiculous’

Caleb Wilson’s first official visit was to Kentucky and he chose an eventful time to check out Lexington. He got there right when 7-foot-2 Croatian center Zvonimir Ivisic arrived on campus.

“The basketball culture is ridiculous,” Wilson said. “That’s what stood out to me. Of course, since it was my first visit, I was like, this is crazy. Big Z was like a legend out there. It was funny. It’s a crazy basketball culture.”

Now that Calipari has left and Mark Pope is in, the culture hasn’t changed for Wilson. It’s not something he’s concerned with.

“The school is still the school,” he said. “They still have all the same technology that they had before. It’s definitely different because of Coach Cal [John Calipari] leaving, but at the same time, Coach Pope is a good coach. He’s coached a winning program at BYU and has a good offense and system. He’s definitely a very high-caliber coach, so I definitely still respect the program, especially him as a coach.”

For some, Kentucky’s fan base can be intimidating. For Caleb Wilson, Big Blue Nation just makes him excited.

“It’s fun for me,” he said. “I like being liked and I like being hated at the same time. You get aspects of both. You’re loved when you’re at home and when you’re away, it’s like, we hate you and want you to lose.”

Targeting a Commitment for High School Basketball Season

Kentucky isn’t the only school making a strong push for Caleb Wilson. Other schools he’s hearing from regularly are Arkansas, Tennessee, Georgia Tech, Auburn, and USC.

“[The pitch that works] is just believe in me, saying they believe in me, and saying they want me to show my skill set,” Wilson said. “I want them to see me as a player who can make it to the next level after college, which is the NBA.”

Wilson broke down several of his options:

Arkansas : “Coach [Chin] Coleman is the one who recruits me the most. I talk to Cal [John Caliapri] maybe once or twice a month. Coach Coleman is a funny guy, very enthusiastic in his recruiting. He always emphasizes how much he wants me and what he likes about my game. I definitely like Arkansas and their belief in me. I’m still taking it slow.”

Georgia Tech : “Coach [Damon] Stoudemire is a good coach. He played in the league and won Rookie of the Year, and they’re looking for someone to ramp up that culture they once had with Stephon Marbury and those older players. They really had Atlanta buzzing. I would have a big impact on the community if I were to go there and a big impact on the state in general.”

Tennessee : “Coach [Rick] Barnes and Coach [Gregg] Polinsky [have been in contact]. Coach Polinsky used to work in the NBA and he talks with me about what he sees from a scouting standpoint. That’s really important because that’s where I want to be. I want that constructive criticism to let me know what I can do and what I can get better at to be appealing to NBA scouts.”

Auburn : “[Bruce Pearl] is an electric coach. He’s very enthusiastic and I like that about him. I want to get pushed in college because I know that’s what it’s going to take for me to be successful, not only in basketball but in life. It’s right next to home and they have a really good pipeline from Georgia. There are a lot of people I can reach out to and say, ‘How did you like your time at Auburn?’ I’ve heard nothing but good things from them.

USC : “Coach [Eric] Musselman likes my defense a lot. That’s what I get from a lot of coaches now, especially with what I’ve been doing at Peach Jam. Being an electric defender, I get my hands on a lot of passes, deflections, steals, and blocks. Coach Musselman loves longer guys who are also athletic. He was telling me that I really fit his system perfectly. With my ability to shoot the ball, I’d really be able to stretch the floor and be a guy for USC.”

Wilson said he’s looking to commit in the mid-to-latter half of the high school basketball season. He said he knows he’s taking official visits to Arkansas, Tennessee, and Georgia Tech. Kentucky and Kansas will “probably” get visits.

“I won’t take any until maybe September, October, or November,” he said. “I like to grind those earlier months. Basketball season is really coming out of nowhere.”

Where Will Caleb Wilson Play His Senior Year?

Caleb Wilson has an even more pressing decision than a college decision. First, he has to choose where he’ll be playing high school basketball for his senior year. Wilson said he hasn’t decided on if he’ll stay at Holy Innocents or transfer to a prep school. His options are vast.

“I could go anywhere in the country,” Wilson said. “I’m not going to lie to you, I’m trying to decide if I think prep is best for me because I really don’t need it. I’m a really good high-education student and the school I go to right now is really good for that. I had the opportunity to go to school on an academic scholarship also.”

Wilson said he’ll decide on his high school within the next two to three weeks.

“If there’s no tweet saying, ‘Caleb Wilson transferred,’ I’ll be staying at Holy Innocents,” he said.

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