Caleb Love was a crucial piece to the North Carolina Tar Heels’ run to the National Championship Game in 2022, with 30 points in the team’s Sweet 16 win over UCLA and 28 points in their win over Duke in the Final Four.
The 6’4″ guard proceeded to be the Tar Heels’ leading scorer in the 2022-23 college basketball season, averaging 16.7 points per game.
Well, in March, Love announced that he was entering the transfer portal. And in April, he announced that he was transferring to the University of Michigan.
But it turns out that Love will not be playing for the Wolverines in the 2023-24 season after all.
On Wednesday, Matt Norlander of CBS Sports tweeted that Love won’t attend Michigan and will return to the portal. Love “did not have the subsequent credits to transfer” to Michigan, according to Norlander.
Norlander added that “returning to UNC is not on the table” for Love.
More context: Michigan's (lofty) admissions standards for a transfer means a higher bar needs to be cleared for most/all credits from a prior school to carry over. At Michigan, the more credits there are to bring over, the less likely they all get kept, depending on transcript.
— Matt Norlander (@MattNorlander) May 17, 2023
So, a proven college basketball star returns to the transfer portal, and it’s a big “loss” (despite Love never playing a game at Michigan) for head coach Juwan Howard and the Wolverines. And this news comes after former Michigan star Hunter Dickinson transferred to Kansas.
In response to the news, college basketball reporter Jeff Goodman of Stadium tweeted, “I’m not sure Michigan was gonna be good next season with Caleb Love … but at least they would have been entertaining. Completely underwhelming roster.”
I’m not sure Michigan was gonna be good next season with Caleb Love … but at least they would have been entertaining.
Completely underwhelming roster.
— Jeff Goodman (@GoodmanHoops) May 17, 2023
Love “now becomes the best available player in the portal,” according to ESPN’s Jeff Borzello.
North Carolina transfer Caleb Love is no longer committed to Michigan, sources confirmed to ESPN, and now becomes the best available player in the portal. Believe @ebosshoops first officially reported.
— Jeff Borzello (@jeffborzello) May 17, 2023
Don Thomas tweeted, “This decision went beyond the control of both Caleb and Juwan. Once again, Michigan gets in its own way. If they don’t evolve with NIL and transfer admissions, hoops especially will revert to the dark ages.”
The Caleb Love rumors are true. He won’t be coming to Michigan.
This decision went beyond the control of both Caleb and Juwan.
Once again, Michigan gets in its own way. If they don’t evolve with NIL and transfer admissions, hoops especially will revert to the dark ages. #GoBlue
— Don Thomas (@REALDonThomas) May 17, 2023
