North Carolina freshman standout Caleb Wilson will miss the remainder of the season after breaking his right thumb during practice Thursday while dunking the basketball, the school announced Friday.
Sources told ESPN that Wilson has already had surgery and is expected to be cleared during the NBA predraft process, where he will compete to be the No. 1 pick in June.
"Can't really put into words how special chapel hill has been to me man," Wilson posted Friday on social media.
Wilson, who had missed the previous six games after injuring his left, non-shooting hand in a Feb. 10 loss at Miami, had been "progressing" toward a return to play, according to coach Hubert Davis, before this latest injury.
North Carolina is 5-1 without Wilson, a 6-foot-10 NBA prospect who averaged 19.8 points and 9.4 rebounds per game this season.
The Tar Heels (24-6, 12-5 ACC) are already locked into the No. 4 seed at next week's ACC tournament. They will take on No. 1 Duke on Saturday at Cameron Indoor Stadium in the regular-season finale for the ACC rivals.
Duke (28-2, 16-1) has won seven straight since a Feb. 7 loss at North Carolina, including a neutral-court win against then-No. 1 Michigan and last weekend's 26-point win against now-No. 13 Virginia.
