After a hectic offseason, Arizona and coach Tommy Lloyd are rolling the dice on perhaps the most polarizing player in the transfer portal in North Carolina transfer Caleb Love. The 6'4" guard who averaged nearly 17 points per game for the Tar Heels announced his commitment to the Wildcats on Tuesday, nearly two weeks after decommitting from Michigan due to reported issues with transfer credits academically.
There may not have been a more talented player in the portal this spring than Love, a former five-star recruit and projected one-and-done prospect whose career at North Carolina was marked with incredible highs and disastrous lows. His ability to put the ball in the basket is unmatched in the college game, and the Tar Heels’ Cinderella run to the national championship game in 2022 showcases just how impactful Love can be when he’s at his best. His 30 points in the Sweet 16 vs. UCLA and 28 against Duke in the Final Four were incredible March performances that carried the Heels across the finish line in two highly competitive games.
Simultaneously, Love’s poor shot selection and decision-making can make him a detriment to winning basketball when the shots aren’t falling. Love has drawn plenty of blame from analysts for North Carolina’s disappointing 2023 season that saw the Heels miss the NCAA tournament due to his unwillingness to reel in his gunslinging ways, and Love’s departure from Chapel Hill this spring has been described as a “mutual parting of ways” by Stadium’s Jeff Goodman.
