Arizona basketball has the No. 5-ranked team in the nation ahead of this week's Pac-12 Tournament. Tuesday, the Wildcats sparked fire for national talk shows since their best player, Caleb Love, was named the Pac-12 Player of the Year.
“I feel like this a team award,” Love said, via Arizona Athletics. “Without my team and without my coaches, I wouldn't get this award.
“I just put so much work in. And I just keep my head down and just continue to work. I think that's a big thing for me, just constantly working and the results will come.”
Love is in his first year with Arizona basketball and second-to-last year of NCAA eligibility, though he's likely to enter the 2024 NBA Draft. After spending three seasons at North Carolina, Love averaged 18.7 points, 4.9 rebounds and 3.4 assists in 31 games.
The potential All-American will headline the Wildcats at the conference tournament and in the NCAA Tournament. Arizona coach Tommy Lloyd has compiled an 85-18 (47-13 Pac-12) record with the Wildcats, and Love might be his best player over the Indiana Pacers' Bennedict Mathurin, who was also conference Player of the Year in 2021-22.
“He's a great dude, great young man,” Lloyd said of Love, per Arizona Athletics. “We're fortunate to have him, and I'm really proud of him…our goals are all focused within the team. For him to do that means our team performed well.”
Love has an element of competitive nature that is rarely seen at Arizona. Lloyd, whose teams tend to have international players who play connected basketball, opted to bring in Love via transfer despite the fact he's sometimes reckless with the basketball.
“Just like I said, having great teammates,” said Love.
Love had a career-best percentage from the field (43.0) within the Wildcats' offense, which is contingent on passing and making sure all five players are able to score with equal possessions. North Carolina coach Hubert Davis allowed Love to shoot himself away from team concepts. At Arizona, Lloyd has helped Love become a better player and individual.
“We don't play for individual awards,” Lloyd said.
Lloyd felt that if it weren't for Love and others being standout players, the Wildcats would have had more Pac-12 honorees. Pelle Larsson, a former Sixth Man of the Year, was named Second Team All-Pac-12. Center Oumar Ballo was named First Team All-Pac-12 and was on the conference's all-defensive group.
The Wildcats have perhaps the best starting five in the country. They've all finished in double-figures 17 times, which is the most in America.
Caleb Love's March Madness experience looms large for Arizona
Arizona basketball is yet to make a Final Four under Lloyd. In fact, the Wildcats have not been among the four teams remaining in the NCAA Tournament since 2001, when they lost the NCAA championship to Duke. Lloyd is the winningest coach through the first three seasons in men and women's college basketball, and sources close to the team have affirmed repeatedly this is Lloyd's best team—even better than any of that under former coach Sean Miller, who had a group with former No. 1 overall pick Deandre Ayton and Utah Jazz star Lauri Markkanen.
The last time Arizona basketball had a star player who so fully embraced a leadership role on and off the floor, TJ McConnell manned point in Tucson. Love is not only a scorer who parallels any player in Wildcat history, but he is someone who has played in the NCAA championship. His Tar Heels lost a close game to Kansas in 2022, 72-69.
His goal is to get back to the national championship. Arizona is hosting the Final Four at the Arizona Cardinals' venue State Farm Stadium, so Wildcat fans would be thrilled to support the team.
Love pointed out Arizona must work on their zone offense after he had just two points on 1-of-10 shooting (0-of-6 from three) in their 78-65 loss to USC on Saturday in the regular season finale.
“It's probably one of the worst games of my career,” conceded Love.
The Wildcats' zone offense must improve, since teams have a difficult time defending Love, Ballo and Larsson as a three-man offensively potent threat.
“We just didn't play great,” said Lloyd.
Guard Kylan Boswell, who was the only member of Arizona basketball's starting five to not receive an all-conference selection, and Pac-12 All Defense honorable mention selection Keshad Johnson, who has NCAA experience and advanced to the tournament championship with San Diego State, are equally capable of big scoring nights. Johnson is also a great athlete who can play above the rim.
Defensively, Love has improved. He is a physical player who has a 6-foot-9 wingspan. Defense is one area Lloyd pointed out he needed to improve when he arrived in Tucson from Chapel Hill.
Love, who is bound to be an NBA player, might not have the same pro potential as Ayton, Markkanen and Aaron Gordon, who was Pac-12 Freshman of the Year and is now an important part of the defending NBA champion Denver Nuggets. But Love is a four-year player who has evolved and become better than he was when he arrived in Tucson.
“I'm really excited for Caleb,” Lloyd said.
Lloyd also cautioned Love to keep working.
“Getting this award doesn't mean that he's ‘arrived,'” Lloyd said. “Honestly, he's still a work in progress, as am I, as is our team. I don't think there's any other way to win an individual award unless you embrace the team.”
Love's championship aspirations are something he wants to remember as his best feat with the Wildcats.
“I wanted my legacy,” Love says,”to be a winner.”
Arizona basketball will play the winner of No. 8 Washington and No. 9 USC in the Pac-12 Tournament quarterfinals Thursday at noon MT. The game will be televised by the Pac-12 Network.
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