Caleb Love commits to Michigan: New Wolverines guard was North Carolina’s main scorer in 2022-23 season

Former North Carolina guard Caleb Love has dedicated to Michigan, he introduced Friday. Love is ranked the No. 12 participant within the CBS Sports activities Switch Rankings following three seasons with the Tar Heels. The previous McDonald’s All-American and five-star prospect performed a key function throughout UNC’s 2022 Remaining 4 run however introduced his intent to switch following a disappointing 2022-23 marketing campaign.

Love ought to have two seasons of eligibility remaining with the Wolverines, who’re searching for to reload after an 18-16 season that ended with a second-round loss within the NIT. 

A 6-foot-4 combo guard, Love led the Tar Heels with 16.7 factors per recreation this previous season; nevertheless, that scoring output got here on an inefficient 37.8% taking pictures from the ground and 29.9% taking pictures from 3-point vary. He dished out 2.8 assists but in addition turned the basketball over 2.4 instances per recreation.

Nonetheless, Love has proven glimpses of elite expertise over his three years. He averaged 18.8 factors in the course of the Tar Heels’ NCAA Event run in 2022, highlighted by a 28-point outing on 11 of 20 taking pictures in a historic Remaining 4 win over Duke. Love additionally scored 30 factors and hit 6 of 13 photographs from 3-point vary in a Candy 16 win over UCLA in the course of the 2022 Huge Dance.

These massive video games and UNC’s staff success in the course of the 2022 event propelled the Tar Heels to the No. 1 spot of the preseason AP Prime 25. Each Love and the staff struggled to construct upon the success throughout his junior 12 months, nevertheless, and the Tar Heels grew to become the primary preseason No. 1 staff to overlook the NCAA Event.

Michigan’s evolving roster

Love’s dedication is big for Michigan as a result of the Wolverines’ roster stays in flux. Main scorer and three-time All-Huge Ten performer Hunter Dickinson is within the switch portal, whereas Kobe Bufkin and Jett Howard have declared for the NBA Draft. That leaves Michigan with out its prime three scorers.

However after 4 years on the job highlighted by an Elite Eight run in 2021 and a Candy 16 look in 2022, coach Juwan Howard just isn’t waving the white flag. As an alternative, he is shortly began restocking the roster by way of the portal. Along with Love, the Wolverines have additionally secured commitments from former Texas Tech and Alabama guard Nimari Burnett and former Seton Corridor ahead Tray Jackson.

Caleb Love’s future

The important thing to Love unlocking his full potential might rely largely on Michigan’s teaching employees’s capacity to channel his immense expertise within the correct course. It appears clear the Wolverines are going to wish Love to supply offense, however can he achieve this extra effectively than he did for the Tar Heels?

That would be the key to a profitable marriage. Howard’s groups thus far have both been balanced or led offensively by massive males. Assuming Dickinson doesn’t return to Michigan, the 2023-24 squad will virtually definitely be extra guard-oriented. If Michigan can area the ground higher than UNC did this previous season, it might create driving lanes for Love and permit him to thrive as an attacker.