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Caleb Wilson press conference ahead of his first game against Duke #UNC
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0:00
Yeah, I guess just start when you were
0:01
with us I guess here in October it was
0:05
um you were talking about how just being
0:07
part of the well coming and seeing the
0:11
UNC Duke game was part of the reason you
0:13
came here. You talked about I guess it
0:14
was two years ago seeing Franklin Street
0:16
being in the locker room. What specific
0:18
details are seeing still stick out to
0:20
you that maybe you're looking back to
0:22
this week?
0:23
Um I remember two years ago we played in
0:25
the locker room. Everybody was really
0:27
excited pouring water on Coach Davis and
0:29
uh even just going out that out on
0:31
Franklin, you know, I couldn't do
0:32
anything. I was a kid, but uh just just
0:35
seeing that atmosphere, seeing everyone
0:37
out, I mean, it was definitely a lot of
0:38
fun and um it was it was just
0:41
exhilarating, honestly. You know, me
0:43
being a basketball fan and a basketball
0:44
player, seeing that atmosphere, it was
0:45
just really attractive for me.
0:49
Jump in.
0:50
How do you keep yourself from getting
0:52
too amped up? Uh,
0:55
honestly, I approach this game like I
0:56
approach every other one. Um,
0:59
they're just an opponent and I feel like
1:02
me doing everything I can is really a
1:03
battle between me and myself. So, you
1:06
know, I'm just going to prepare as much
1:08
as I can to face the team that we're
1:10
going to play, but it's just a game. No
1:11
matter the atmosphere, no matter the
1:13
antics before, after the game, it's just
1:15
a basketball game.
1:16
You've told us quite a few times that
1:17
you find something that kind of gets you
1:18
going. the Kansas layup line, for
1:20
example. Is this so big and so unique
1:23
that you don't need that?
1:24
No, I got stuff that's going to get me
1:26
going already. I've been at it. So, I
1:29
don't really I don't need nothing to
1:30
happen during the game. I already I
1:32
already know what I got.
1:33
So, if you win, you'll tell us, right?
1:35
Uh yeah, sure. Play him twice. Play him
1:38
twice.
1:40
talk about playing with Boozer uh both
1:43
of them uh and the challenge what are
1:47
the challenges that he's going to bring
1:48
to you all this Saturday.
1:49
Uh he's a great player honestly and he
1:51
just plays smart. Um a really cerebral
1:54
guy. Uh he's not uh going to be rushed
1:58
or anything like that. He just plays
1:59
basketball within a very mature way. Um
2:03
he's definitely a great offensive
2:04
rebounder. Uh he has ability to score a
2:07
lot of different ways. A great passer.
2:09
So, you know, it's all about just
2:10
keeping physicality with him and keeping
2:13
body contact and uh just trying to limit
2:15
his catches and stuff like that.
2:16
Did you get close with him at all? Have
2:18
you got we made contact with him?
2:20
Uh we talk occasionally and um and we
2:23
were definitely close. We won national
2:24
championship so I mean it was it was
2:26
definitely a lot of fun and you know
2:29
winning brings everybody together so for
2:31
sure.
2:32
Have you talked this week?
2:33
No, we had to talk this week. Talk this
2:35
week.
2:37
Caleb, with those guys, the big guys for
2:39
for Duke, not only are they physical on
2:41
the inside, but they've been hubs
2:43
offensively as far as playmaking on the
2:45
perimeter setting up Duke's offense.
2:47
What kind of challenges does that
2:49
present for you as as far as what y'all
2:50
want to do defensively?
2:52
Um, honestly, I just feel like we just
2:56
have to dictate the pace of the game and
2:59
that's going to allow us to be playing
3:01
at the best of our ability. uh they have
3:04
a kind of a slower play style like they
3:05
like to walk the ball up the court and
3:06
get into their offense and do exactly
3:08
what they want to do. It's up to us to
3:10
speed them up and make their simple
3:13
plays and their their execution
3:14
difficult.
3:15
Yeah.
3:15
How important is it then to clean up the
3:18
defensive glass when you guys want to
3:19
get out and and run a little bit?
3:20
Really important honestly it's game is
3:23
one of the trenches especially ones like
3:24
this hard robbery games. Everybody's
3:26
coming with all they have. So you know
3:27
it's definitely important to make sure
3:29
we play as hard as we can. not not only
3:32
not only on the perimeter but on the
3:33
inside also.
3:34
Caleb, what have film sessions been like
3:36
with the team since the Syracuse game?
3:38
Um, we
3:41
are really just focused on
3:44
just limiting the things that they do. A
3:47
lot of flare screens, a lot of rip
3:48
screens, a lot of back screens. Just
3:49
being physical and making sure we
3:50
communicate at the highest level.
3:52
Okay. You mentioned, you know, you are
3:55
approaching this game as if any other,
3:56
but you've also said a couple times this
3:58
season about the legacy here wanting to
3:59
leave now, wanting to make this leave
4:00
this place better than you found it. Do
4:02
you think at all about the impact that a
4:04
game like this and and a big performance
4:06
and a win can have as part of your sort
4:08
of individual legacy here? Uh it it
4:10
definitely have a big impact on my
4:12
legacy and you know I feel like that's
4:14
something that's really important for me
4:15
like you mentioned and um but like I
4:18
said before honestly it's really
4:21
nobody cares unless you win. So I just
4:25
really focused on winning the game. I'm
4:26
not really focused on my legacy going
4:28
into this game. I'm focused on winning.
4:30
Offensively, what will I guess you and
4:33
and kind of the rest of the team have to
4:34
do to be successful in this? Uh, I feel
4:38
like we just have to, like I said,
4:39
dictate the pace offensively and
4:40
defensively. They play a much different
4:42
style than us offensively and
4:43
defensively. They are really strong and
4:46
physical. So, our advantage is probably
4:48
going to be in transition.
4:50
When you play on a high school team that
4:51
has that much talent, when you're
4:52
looking at colleges, do you want to go
4:54
somewhere where you can sort of have
4:56
your own team for for lack of a better
4:57
term? Like, how important was it that
4:59
you didn't go to school with the Boozers
5:02
again and try to recreate it on the
5:03
college level? Is there something about
5:05
wanting to forge your own path?
5:07
Uh, well, a lot of people don't really
5:10
know me before I played with Night
5:11
Riders, but uh, I played with the
5:13
Georgia Stars and we won a lot of games.
5:16
I was able to show all the stuff I could
5:17
do, ball handling, all the stuff I could
5:19
do. But I felt like it was important for
5:21
me mentally to have the ability to play
5:23
with talent because when you go to
5:25
college and you go to the NBA, you have
5:26
to learn how to do that. and playing
5:29
with talent, especially guys that are
5:32
good players, guys that are unselfish,
5:33
guys that are winners. It definitely
5:35
opens your eyes on doing things that
5:37
star players don't usually do, like
5:38
boxing out, running the floor, trying to
5:41
be defensive hub and defensive stopper.
5:42
Just things that I learned how to do and
5:44
take Passion in when I was playing with
5:46
other talented guys that I wasn't doing
5:48
before. Has um Seth kind of imparted any
5:52
wisdom or advice about what this game's
5:54
like to you and to your teammates that
5:56
this is the first time getting a chance
5:57
to play it?
5:58
Yeah, he said it's a big atmosphere and
6:00
it's like one of the Well, you said it's
6:02
the biggest game of your life and I
6:04
think it's I think I just think it's
6:06
going to be fun. Honestly, I don't
6:07
really I really don't care about the
6:09
crowd. I mean, I me personally like I'm
6:12
I'm really excited to go play at Duke,
6:14
too. like I just I just I like to be the
6:17
villain in games and you know I just
6:19
think it's going to be a lot of fun and
6:21
that's really how I'm looking looking at
6:23
it. Um no matter the crowd, no matter
6:24
the environment, no matter the
6:25
atmosphere, it's still a basketball
6:27
game.
6:28
To that same point, what is the coaching
6:30
staff? Have they have they imparted
6:32
anything? Have they told you guys
6:33
anything or are they kind of approaching
6:35
it as as business as usual?
6:37
Um they've told us it's going to be
6:39
real. Coach Davis has, but I feel like
6:41
my coaches and my teammates know that
6:44
I'm like me personally, I'm built for
6:46
the moment. Uh I don't really weather no
6:49
matter what the atmosphere is. Uh and
6:52
then we played at Kentucky, we play
6:54
Kansas here, like I know Duke is going
6:56
to bring more antics and stuff like
6:57
that, but no matter the atmosphere, like
7:00
I'm going to perform, so it is what it
7:02
is.
7:03
Caleb, as a competitor, how kind of
7:05
helpless did you feel not being a player
7:07
watching the games last year? And how do
7:09
you kind of compare that knowing that
7:11
you will absolutely have an impact on
7:13
the games this year?
7:14
Oh, well I we haven't beaten them in a
7:18
long time. Honestly, I don't and I know
7:22
like as he was speaking about my legacy
7:26
like we haven't beat them in probably
7:28
over 300 400 days, might maybe more than
7:30
that. And then even we lost some foot in
7:32
football this year. So it's like for me
7:34
personally like
7:36
you got to get a win, man. I'm not going
7:38
to lie. Like you can't if I want to be a
7:41
legend and I want to like submit my name
7:43
in history, like this is a very good
7:45
opportunity for me to do it. And this is
7:46
a very good time for our school and our
7:49
uh team to just have some pride and
7:51
dignity and get a win in in the win
7:53
column.
7:53
What have your emotions been like this
7:55
week?
7:56
Uh I just been chilling honestly.
8:00
Uh, it's really hard for me like when we
8:02
have these long breaks in between games
8:03
cuz you know you're antsy and you want
8:06
to you want to play. I like I like
8:08
playing a lot. Like I like playing the
8:09
games. So for me it's just I just been
8:13
preparing, watching film, practicing,
8:14
making sure I get extra shots up. But uh
8:17
honestly, I just been treating like a
8:19
regular week. It's just
8:20
anything different around campus at all?
8:22
Yeah, it's way different. You know, I go
8:23
to class and people are asking me about
8:25
the game and stuff like that and it's
8:28
like, man, let's just play, bro. Let's
8:31
get it over with.
8:32
I don't want to ask if it's if it's a
8:34
good thing, but do you think that that
8:35
last nine or so minutes on Monday night
8:37
kind of gives you guys something to fuel
8:40
as if you guys really need anything else
8:42
extra this week in practice, but do you
8:43
think it kind of gives you guys that
8:44
extra even more jolt to get going into
8:47
Saturday?
8:48
Yeah, I think so. And honestly, I feel
8:51
like as a team,
8:53
we are we're adamant about winning. So,
8:56
especially game like this. Um, everybody
8:59
knows like the the pressure and the the
9:03
need to win this game. So, although that
9:06
could have helped us a lot, we already
9:07
are like on 10, ready to win.
9:10
I know you talked about doing something
9:11
special with your hair before this game.
9:13
Are you waiting to reveal it or can you
9:14
give us a little hints as to what you
9:16
got planned? Uh,
9:17
it's just a nice pattern. I I didn't
9:19
really do anything crazy. I didn't want
9:20
to sit down for too long. I was just I
9:23
just wanted to get a little pattern in
9:25
and it'll be cool. It'll be nice.
9:28
Obviously, Cameron Boozer gets so much
9:30
attention watching them sar on the
9:33
defensive end looks like a guy who you
9:35
probably could match up with several
9:36
different players. What have you seen
9:38
out of them on that end defensively in
9:39
particular and maybe Sar?
9:42
Sar is a great a great defender. Um he's
9:44
really active like Malik Brown.
9:47
They are
9:49
they're adamant about like imposing
9:50
their will. Like they they don't they're
9:52
relentless. Like they're going to make
9:54
the ref call a foul. So with them, you
9:57
just have to be very attentive with your
9:59
passes. Always know where they are on
10:00
the court and make sure you use ball
10:02
fakes and pump fakes because they're
10:03
going to usually be aggressive and go
10:06
for them.
10:07
Okay. Let me mention that coach Davis
10:08
just told you this is going to be real.
10:10
Uh past couple of years when the Duke
10:12
Carolina game has come up, he's used
10:13
different stories or analogies. How has
10:15
he been this week? Has he done anything
10:17
different or special or noteworthy?
10:20
Uh, he's just been serious honestly. I
10:22
mean, I expect some great Coach David
10:25
stories before the game and probably
10:27
today before we do film and uh they they
10:31
always usually get me going and they
10:33
just give me another reason to really go
10:34
out there and play cuz like I play I
10:36
play for a lot of reasons. I play for
10:38
myself and my team and also play for my
10:41
coach too. So just knowing that my coach
10:43
has passion and it's really emotional
10:45
about the game, it kind of gets me
10:46
going. Also,
10:47
is there Yeah, sorry. Is there one thing
10:48
or story he said that was like I'm ready
10:50
to run through a wall?
10:51
What do you mean like great coach Davis
10:52
stories? Yeah,
10:54
he has he has a lot of stories about uh
10:57
old old things that happened in in in
10:59
past games. And he was telling us
11:01
actually yesterday he was talking about
11:02
how he remembers all 11 of his matchups
11:05
with Duke. So, you know, that just kind
11:07
of shows how significant it is cuz he
11:09
always tells us that our memories are
11:12
going to be things like kind of like
11:14
emotional things like how we felt like
11:16
how stuff felt after a game, not every
11:19
second of the game. But he was telling
11:21
us like yesterday like I remember every
11:22
second of every Duke game I played in or
11:24
coached. So, you know, it just means a
11:27
lot to know that like that just shows
11:28
you how significant this game is cuz
11:31
that's that's that's really that's
11:32
really important for him.
11:34
How is he what he's doing? Is he like
11:36
you said, is he serious? Is he
11:38
emotional? Is he kind of whisable? Like
11:40
what's that like?
11:41
It's He's emotional honestly. He's like
11:44
thinking I can almost see him like
11:46
thinking back in his head when he's
11:47
talking about these these stories cuz
11:49
it's like
11:51
like you know how you you're you're
11:53
you're sitting there and you're just
11:55
imagining like what it was like when you
11:57
were doing this like you know how you're
11:59
thinking about a story in your head like
12:00
when whenever he's telling a story
12:02
especially these stories he's been
12:03
telling as of late about Duke is like I
12:04
can see him in his head thinking and
12:06
envisioning exactly what was going on.
12:08
You may have talked about this, but what
12:09
was it like to meet Charlie Scott in
12:11
Atlanta and and how much of the history
12:13
of this rivalry have you gone back and
12:15
like sort of looked at, researched,
12:17
watched some clips on YouTube or
12:18
anything like that?
12:20
Well, I I love watching old dude games
12:22
honestly and I've been watching them for
12:24
a long time really ever since I
12:26
committed. Used to watch them in class
12:27
in high school and
12:31
but uh now I've probably watched a lot
12:35
of them honestly. I I remember I
12:39
remember watching live when Zion
12:40
Williamson blew a shoe out in in that
12:42
Duke game at at Cameron. So, you know,
12:45
it's it's definitely like I watch a lot
12:47
I watch a lot of basketball and it just
12:50
kind of it's crazy the atmosphere and
12:51
stuff like that I see, but you know, I'm
12:53
just excited to be a part of it. And
12:55
then meeting Charlie Charlie Scott was
12:56
really really important to me because
12:58
you know as African-American like just
13:01
knowing the things that he's done to
13:02
kind of cement himself in history and
13:04
kind of break down barriers is really
13:06
important and I feel like being the
13:08
first African-American to play in the
13:09
ACC and especially playing I think for
13:11
coach Smith it just means that you know
13:13
that that was huge honestly because
13:15
without him I I possibly couldn't be
13:17
here today.
13:18
All right. Thank you very much.