Last week, UNC Tar Heels leading scorer Caleb Love announced he would enter the transfer portal. That led to a lot of reports on the various schools interested in him. Now, Love has picked his destination, announcing on Twitter Friday he’ll be joining the Michigan Wolverines (complete with an illustration showing him in Michigan uniforms):
https://twitter.com/caleb2love/status/1644371308166168579
Love averaged 16.7 points, 3.7 rebounds and 2.8 assists in 33 games (32 starts) last season, his third with the Tar Heels. It was a disappointing season overall for UNC, though, as they followed up their 2021-22 run to the national title game with a season where they went 20-13 (11-9 in the ACC), missed the NCAA Tournament after an early conference tournament exit, and opted to decline an invite to the NIT. And now, the Tar Heels will have to replace their leading scorer. And there’s a gain here for Michigan, but it does come with some questions about how Love will fit in to head coach Juwan Howard’s system:
“Caleb needed to go somewhere where he’d be held accountable, and NOT given free reign, be a piece in a system” – @GoodmanHoops
“It’s an all or nothing bet. Juwan Howard might be betting his Michigan career on Caleb Love” – @gwizzy12
CALEB LOVE REACTION: https://t.co/23yKKvvPmz pic.twitter.com/8FiBAogLXZ
— The Field of 68 (@TheFieldOf68) April 7, 2023
You knew there would be no shortage of interested parties in Caleb Love, who was a key proponent in a run to the national championship game for Carolina last year. Juwan Howard makes a splash, and it will be fascinating to see how things play out in Ann Arbor with the senior.
— John Fanta (@John_Fanta) April 7, 2023
If Juwan Howard can somehow convince Caleb Love that he’s bad at shooting 3s and as someone who is bad at shooting 3s he definitely shouldn’t take contested threes way behind the line with 19 seconds left on the shot clock, this is a massive get.
Just drive to the hoop, sir! https://t.co/3UifsxsIPu
— Justin Spiro (@DarkoStateNews) April 7, 2023
#CollegeHoops Huge day for Michigan in the portal: Tray Jackson first, then the guy who ended coach K's career…
Curious to see how Juwan Howard shifts to a more perimeter-based offense w/ Caleb Love, Nimari Burnett and Dug McDaniel #GoBlue #CBBTransfers pic.twitter.com/oGoIyDkUbg
— MaceoBaller (@MaceoBaller16) April 7, 2023
As others noted, Love’s addition comes amidst major roster turnover at Michigan, with three top scorers leaving. But it also comes amidst the addition of forward Tray Jackson from Seton Hall.
UNC transfer Caleb Love to Michigan.
Love should slot in as the first scoring option for Juwan Howard’s Wolverines that have lost Hunter Dickinson, Jett Howard, and Kobe Bufkin already this offseason.
Major domino to fall among the guards looking for new homes.#transferportal https://t.co/zoafYjtugy
— Tommy Marquardt (@tommy_marq) April 7, 2023
Michigan is losing its top 3 scorers and has added Caleb Love (UNC) and Tray Jackson (Seton Hall) today https://t.co/AVre5EUrTl
— Adam Zagoria (@AdamZagoria) April 7, 2023
The @umichbball & @JuwanHoward add some talent to roster from transfer portal by getting combo guard Caleb Love of @UNC_Basketball & 6’10 Tray Jackson of @SetonHallMBB who is from Detroit, Mich
— Dick Vitale (@DickieV) April 7, 2023
We’ll see how Love winds up doing with the Wolverines.
[Caleb Love on Twitter; photo of Love driving against Duke last March from Rob Kinnan/USA Today Sports]
About Andrew Bucholtz
Andrew Bucholtz has been covering sports media for Awful Announcing since 2012. He is also a staff writer for The Comeback. His previous work includes time at Yahoo! Sports Canada and Black Press.