The 2023 NCAA Tournament is officially in the books with the UConn Huskies taking home their fifth title. Now, programs are already eyeing the upcoming 2023-24 season. From recruiting to the transfer portal, many players could be on new teams soon. The latter is the case for Caleb Love.
After three seasons at North Carolina, the point guard entered the transfer portal to play elsewhere in his senior year. A five-star recruit out of St. Louis, Missouri, Love was a consensus top-20 player in his recruiting class. He ended up choosing North Carolina over multiple other offers, including the four-time national champion Kansas Jayhawks.
In 101 games as a Tar Heel, Caleb Love averaged 14.6 points, 3.3 assists and 3.3 rebounds plus a steal a night. He shot 36% from the field, 31.7% from beyond the arc and 81.5% from the free-throw line.
His only recognition in college was to the ACC All-Freshman Team in 2021. In high school, he was a McDonald's All-American and played in both the Jordan Brand Classic and Nike Hoop Summit.
While he has yet to live up to expectations in college, Love could still be a contributor in the right situation. Because of that, even with his struggles at North Carolina, he is considered one of the best players available in the transfer portal for the 2023-24 season.
With that being said, here are the best transfer destinations for former North Carolina guard Caleb Love.
3. Indiana Hoosiers
One March Madness team that could certainly consider adding Caleb Love is the Indiana Hoosiers. They are set to lose two of their main playmakers and scorers in Trayce Jackson-Davis and Jalen Hood-Schifino.
Jackson-Davis averaged a double-double with 20.9 points and 10.8 rebounds plus 4.0 assists.
Hood-Schifino put up 13.5 points with 4.1 boards and 3.7 assists. The Big Ten Freshman of the Year declared for the 2023 NBA Draft as he is projected as a potential first-round pick.
Without Jackson-Davis and Hood-Schifino, Love could be one of the team's leaders. He could use isolation and have more freedom to create his own shot. Also, he could be a facilitator on a roster that should have many new faces in 2023-24.
The Hoosiers are adding many new young guards in this recruiting cycle. By adding Love, he could serve as a veteran mentor to those underclassmen in the locker room.
Indiana originally recruited Caleb Love back in 2019, so it shows that the program knows a lot about him. If the Hoosiers still have an interest in the guard, he could be a solid option for Hood-Schifino's departure.
2. Michigan Wolverines
Another option for Caleb Love is to join the Michigan Wolverines. The team could be looking for more new faces after having a rough 2022-23 season.
The Wolverines failed to reach the NCAA Tournament as they went just 17-14 in the regular season. For comparison, Michigan made it all the way to the Sweet 16 in the 2021-22 campaign.
Since hiring Juwan Howard as its head coach in 2019, Michigan has made many moves at the point guard position. Zavier Simpson was the first with the starting job but then was replaced by transfers Mike Smith and De’Vante Jones.
Last season, Howard opted for Princeton transfer Jaelin Llewellyn. However, the guard ended up suffering a season-ending injury early in the year.
With so much uncertainty at point guard, the Wolverines could go after another one in the transfer portal. If they get Love, they could be a step closer to returning to the Big Dance in 2024.
1. Missouri Tigers
Finally, one intriguing match for Caleb Love in the transfer portal is the Missouri Tigers. The team recently finished at No. 23 in the final AP poll with a 25-10 record.
In the NCAA Tournament, the Tigers were a No. 7 seed. They defeated the Utah State Aggies in the first round before losing to Princeton in the second round.
While the season did not end on a high note, it was better than once projected. Missouri opened the year unranked and only gained its first recognition in Week 9.
Should Love choose to go to a program that could be competing for big things right away, Missouri could be the answer. As a senior, he could be one of the main players on the roster and play an important role in the team's 2023-24 season.
Perhaps most importantly, Caleb Love would be back home. He was born in St. Louis and played high school basketball for Christian Brothers College, which is less than two hours away from Columbia. By signing with the Tigers, Love would return to his home state and be closer to his family and friends, which could be beneficial after his struggles with the Tar Heels.
All things considered, especially the return to his home state, Missouri is likely the best destination for Caleb Love in the transfer portal.
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