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#UNC players Seth Trimble, Henri Veesaar and Caleb Wilson after victory at Georgia Tech
Jan 31, 2026
#UNC players Seth Trimble, Henri Veesaar and Caleb Wilson after victory at Georgia Tech
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0:00
finishing and how you've been finishing
0:02
better um as of late. That's been a
0:04
priority for you. How have you worked on
0:06
that and how satisfying is it to see it
0:08
pay off in some of these recent games?
0:09
Are we talking about like
0:10
finishing around the room?
0:11
Oh, okay. I wasn't sure like pinching
0:13
games. Okay. Yeah. Sorry. Sorry. Uh no,
0:15
it's been very satisfying. Uh it's I I
0:17
feel like I've always had spurts uh
0:19
throughout the last few years,
0:20
throughout the seasons where I I'm in a
0:23
struggling to finish mode and it comes
0:24
here and there, but uh just to be
0:26
efficient around the rim, just be able
0:28
to provide that for my teammates, it's
0:29
huge. So super important.
0:31
Anything you did differently maybe um
0:33
kind of rebounding and getting back into
0:35
the game this time versus again
0:38
different injuries, but with the
0:39
concussion last season.
0:42
Yeah.
0:42
Does that make sense? like in terms of
0:43
coming back and passing back
0:45
I mean it's it's it's different you know
0:46
when when you get a concussion it's so
0:48
much mental work that you have to do
0:50
to to readjust yourself to the game to
0:52
catch back up to the speed I was
0:53
fortunate enough to not have no
0:55
concussion
0:56
but during my [clears throat] arm injury
0:58
I was still watching film my mind was
1:00
still working well like I was still able
1:02
to work out and stay in a bit of rhythm
1:04
so I was able to work on my shot every
1:06
day you know reh
1:08
sit around wait to feel better so there
1:11
was a physical difference in my rehab
1:13
Yeah. And then there was a mental
1:14
difference. I did a lot of mental work
1:16
to help like I spoke about earlier came
1:18
a long way.
1:18
Does that play a difference in finishing
1:20
around the rim or is that just purely
1:21
kind of physical?
1:22
It plays a difference in confidence. So
1:24
yes, finishing around the rim, shooting
1:25
from three, being a ball handler.
1:27
Literally everything you can think of
1:28
defender. It just plays a difference.
1:29
Any story behind the rows?
1:31
Excuse me.
1:32
Any story behind the cornrows?
1:33
No, man. Just got bored a little bit
1:35
just for a couple games. You know, the
1:36
pro will come back some. Pro will come
1:38
back some. Switch.
1:38
Do it every year for a couple games.
1:40
Yeah, a couple games. A couple games.
1:42
We've talked a lot about your finishing
1:43
at the basket. What Shelby was asking me
1:45
about. It looks to me like
1:47
the opportunities you're taking are
1:49
maybe even better opportunities, less
1:50
congested opportunities, which is going
1:53
to increase your success rate.
1:54
Absolutely. Absolutely. I think I'm
1:55
being patient and with the right ones
1:57
around the rim. Uh just recognizing, you
2:00
know, it's not really like high school
2:01
anymore. And uh I've been recognized,
2:04
you know, just realizing that you can't
2:06
just go up because these guys are just
2:08
as athletic as you. Uh, so just trying
2:10
to make the right plays and every time
2:12
being patient with it cuz like you said
2:13
the right one's going to come around and
2:14
when the right ones come makes you
2:16
better.
2:16
And there were a few times where you got
2:18
rid of the ball where maybe previously
2:19
you tried to score but the way you guys
2:21
are moving the ball right now all the
2:23
recognition out there you're getting
2:25
buckets off your drives even when you're
2:26
not getting the assist or the basket.
2:28
Absolutely. It's not always about
2:29
finishing. Uh, and I think when I'm in
2:33
that aggressive mindset I just have to
2:34
realize like hey there's this play too
2:37
as good of a finisher as I may think I
2:38
am. So the way when I continue to remind
2:40
myself that in game, when I continue to
2:41
make those plays, it just makes us look
2:42
even better.
2:43
What are the intangibles that are
2:44
allowing you guys to finish teams off
2:46
here the last couple of games?
2:47
Uh I feel like we've been locked in uh
2:50
the last few minutes of the first half,
2:52
in the second half, especially just on
2:53
finishing games. We know how important
2:55
that is. Uh we know that we've led up,
2:57
you know, in the past in these type of
2:59
moments and we know that it hurts. So
3:01
we've been able to learn from it and
3:02
grow from it and now it's time to show.
3:04
How have you guys grown since we talked
3:06
to you outside the post?
3:08
It was just two weeks ago, Seth. The way
3:10
you guys have played last game seemed
3:11
like that was a lot.
3:12
Absolutely. Absolutely. Uh we've just
3:15
we've come together as a team. You know,
3:17
we're not making any selfish plays.
3:19
We're not trying to do it on our own.
3:20
We're making the right play. We're
3:22
playing defense as a unit. You know,
3:23
it's not five guys out there playing
3:25
defense to stop their man. It's five
3:28
guys playing against the other five to
3:30
stop the opposing team. And I feel like
3:32
defensively it's taken us a long way and
3:34
we're back to the guard somewhat
3:36
defensively that we know
3:39
and they were being active. So just
3:41
being able to go vert block their shots
3:44
really helped cuz they were coming to me
3:45
and I didn't have to step up.
3:46
What was the difference for you today as
3:48
opposed to Virginia? Any adjustments you
3:51
made or it just came your way?
3:52
I think it kind of came in my way but I
3:54
knew I had to play better cuz I can't
3:56
rely on my teammates to pick me up two
3:57
games in a row.
3:59
Last night, last game I was in Virginia.
4:01
Jur played amazing and like set up
4:03
everybody there. I had really good games
4:05
where they helped me out, but I think
4:07
today I was just have the energy and
4:09
kind of effort to really match the
4:11
opponents and kind of do my best.
4:13
Did you do you practice angry after the
4:15
way your game went?
4:16
I don't know if I practiced angry, but I
4:18
was definitely trying to get better and
4:21
keeping in mind that I can't get
4:22
complacent at this time of season and
4:23
just trying to keep getting better and
4:25
better every game. seemed like you were
4:26
really aggressive inside against a tough
4:29
job.
4:30
Tell me about that dynamic.
4:32
Uh I mean part of it is just being able
4:34
to make layups and trying to go into
4:36
him. I feel like if I get him in foul
4:38
trouble, he got to sit that bench. They
4:40
got me in foul trouble. So I had to sit
4:41
on the bench. Just trying to be
4:42
aggressive and if he get closer, he
4:45
finish at a high clip as a team overall.
4:46
So being able to get in the paint and
4:48
shoot in the paint helps us. That was
4:50
Sorry if you've been asked, but the
4:51
seven points, one rebound last week. How
4:54
much was that sort of inspiration to
4:55
come with an edge today?
4:57
I think I have had like before that I
5:00
had a couple games in a row where I
5:01
didn't play great like even Cal
5:04
like Virginia, I didn't play with the
5:05
same edge as I have normally. So, I
5:07
think it was a great wakeup call over
5:09
the season just to know that I got to
5:10
play with a bigger edge and I can't get
5:12
complacent.
5:13
There's a chance that when you're
5:14
projected to go in the draft, the
5:16
Atlanta Hawks will be on the clock. What
5:18
do you think about the possibility of
5:20
potentially being drafted
5:22
and playing for your hometown team more
5:24
than me?
5:25
It would mean a lot honestly. You know,
5:26
I would love to play for the Hawks and
5:28
uh I'm just happy for whoever chooses me
5:30
and thinks that I'm a good player, good
5:31
part of the program. So, I mean, it
5:33
would be nice to come back home and play
5:34
for my home city, but then again, I'm
5:36
just ready to make an impact where I'm
5:38
drafted.
5:38
Kale, tell me about the shift. First
5:40
eight minute, first 12 minutes, I think
5:41
you got one shot and then you got 14
5:43
points in the last eight minutes of the
5:45
first half. What What shifted there? Uh,
5:47
I just had to figure out where it would
5:48
double me from and where to get my
5:50
points at. Sometimes it'll be I'm just
5:52
filling it out to see what what's going
5:53
on and then once I figure it out, it's
5:55
over.
5:55
Oh, that was that pass from Ken. It was
5:58
so hot. Tell me about that. Did you know
6:01
immediately you're going to be able to
6:02
get it?
6:02
No, I really didn't. I just jumped up
6:04
and I'm It's crazy that I got it. Did
6:06
not think I was going to get it. That's
6:07
why I went up with one hand cuz I was
6:09
trying to grab it and I when I realized
6:10
I had it, I just threw it down.
6:11
Could you jump any higher than that?
6:13
Maybe. I don't know. Maybe I'll do it
6:15
better next Saturday.
6:17
Um, I'm curious just what was kind of
6:19
some of the emotions of all the, you
6:20
know, high school holy innocence coming
6:23
out. I know I saw you signing like a
6:24
kids poster pregame. Just what that
6:26
means.
6:28
I mean, it just means a lot. You know,
6:29
this is my, like you said, it's my
6:30
hometown. This is my original community.
6:31
So, you know, just to have that support
6:33
and kind of that background, just
6:34
knowing that people are looking up to me
6:35
and people really want to see me do well
6:37
is definitely important and it feels
6:38
really good. Hubert said that it seems
6:39
like you felt more or you played more
6:42
maybe grounded and settled in this game
6:44
versus the last game that you played in
6:46
Atlanta. Do you agree? And
6:48
yeah, I do. I do. I just like, you know,
6:51
it's hard to play without emotion. You
6:52
play in your hometown. But I kind of
6:54
I've been able to like read a lot and
6:56
kind of be able to kind of ground myself
6:58
before I play no matter the environment
7:00
situation. I just play the game that
7:02
we're supposed to be preparing.
7:03
How many family members did you have at
7:04
this game?
7:05
I don't even know. It's It's crazy.
7:07
I really don't even know.
7:08
How do you
7:09
Oh, really? Any particular readings,
7:11
quotes that stood out maybe that you
7:13
were kind of reciting to yourself ahead
7:15
of this one?
7:16
Uh really something that we see as a
7:18
team is just just us. I think that, you
7:20
know, at North Carolina, you know, we
7:22
have a lot of media and outside noise.
7:23
Just knowing that it's really just about
7:25
us. I feel like that kind of helped me
7:26
play well and just know that none of the
7:28
outside noise people come to the game
7:29
really matters just about what's going
7:31
on. What have been the intangibles in
7:33
the last two or three games being able
7:34
to put teams away where we had trouble
7:36
earlier?
7:37
We just we realize that we need to work
7:40
on it. So, we really focus on it when we
7:42
get that lead to hold it.
7:43
How has Luca's maturity helped you guys
7:45
through some of these road games,
7:46
especially with the the crowds and
7:47
everything? I know he talks a lot about
7:49
having experienced that from overseas.
7:50
How does his maturity help you guys?
7:52
It helps us a lot. You know, he's a
7:53
timely shot maker and he's a great
7:55
player. So, just having him on the court
7:56
and knowing that I have someone that can
7:58
definitely hit open shot or always knows
7:59
where his face is really for me. My
8:01
apologies. You were having a lot of fun
8:03
with a fan, especially in the first half
8:05
after a couple of dunks. What was going
8:07
on with that?
8:08
That's one of my guys named Jayvon. Uh
8:09
he uh he kind of been with me my whole
8:12
life, so I just saw him behind the goal
8:13
and I was just telling him like, "That's
8:15
ridiculous."
8:15
When you watch the alley from K
8:19
when you watch the replay, you got to
8:21
watch the ushers in the corner.
8:23
All right, man. I'm watch it.
8:24
How did How did you get that? It looked
8:25
like there was no way you get that.
8:27
I just jumped as high as I could,
8:28
honestly. You know, I didn't want it to
8:29
be a turnover. I rather just I rather
8:31
try to grab it and throw it or try to
8:33
grab it and save it. And then once I
8:34
realized I actually had my hand on the
8:35
ball, I just threw it down.
8:36
Can you sense the reaction from the
8:38
crowd like that? Because even
8:41
I just I try to tone it out. I try I try
8:43
to just focus on the game cuz college is
8:45
so quick. I could have did that if
8:47
somebody come back and hit a three and
8:49
it's like three is more than two.
8:50
Thank you. Thanks everybody.
8:52
Appreciate it.
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