We are getting closer and closer to seeing the North Carolina Tar Heels take the floor. A North Carolina squad which will now boast five-star recruit, Caleb Love. Love was one of the three five-star recruits who play the guard position who were still uncommitted. That is until Love decided to give the Tar Heels a chance for the upcoming season. So, are the Tar Heels now favorites? Maybe not, but it certainly does help their chances. Let’s take a closer look at Caleb Love and see what he brings to the table.
Caleb Love Commits to North Carolina
A Closer Look at Caleb Love
As one can imagine, Love is dripping with potential. He is six foot three and is a point guard who can score the rock. Obviously, there is some polishing that needs to be done to his game. However, Roy Williams will assist with those aspects. Not to mention, he is starting to find his way in terms of scoring efficiency, which is promising for such a young prospect. On top of this, he is a deceptive ball-hawk. According to ESPN National Recruiting Director Paul Biancardi, Love “gets low to sit and slide to keep the ball out of the paint and will get his share of steals.”
Do not be fooled by Love’s ability to score the ball. Though he seems to be able to score at will, he certainly can surprise people at times with his passing (as we see in the above highlight tape.) Plus, his height will also allow him to grab a couple of extra rebounds as well. This will allow coach Roy Wiliams to experiment and get crafty with some plays on the perimeter for the upcoming season. Even though he seems to be a traditional “get the rock to the big guy on the block,” coach at times, Caleb Love just might give him a new weapon especially with Coby White now gone. A weapon he will have to make either the second option or even the go-to option in the offense. It will be interesting to see how the Tar Heels utilize the five-star recruit.
What Love will do for North Carolina
The Tar Heels have resided in one of the most competitive conferences for years (the ACC). Everyone knows about the heated rivalry with the Duke Blue Devils. Plus just last season, the conference saw Virginia claim their first championship. Things will not be much different this year in terms of competitiveness. However, Duke and North Carolina very well could reverse roles this season. Love is not Zion Williamson, but he is still a kid who was ranked 24th in ESPN’s top 100 for the 2020 class. The Tar Heels are still not locked for a championship, but they are now in good shape to make it farther than arch-rival, Duke.
Keep in mind, Duke lost quite a bit of firepower to the NBA Draft. Everyone knows about Zion, but they also lost RJ Barrett and Cam Reddish. The only player the Tar Heels lost which could hurt them is Coby White. However, that position will most likely be taken by Love. For those wondering, Caleb Love tallied 15.8 points per game, 4.5 rebounds per game, and five assists per game in the Nike EYBL circuit. His ability to thrive in transition will also be a gift in Roy Williams’ system. All in all, Love helps North Carolina’s title chances and if they can land one or two more top recruits, then they should be considered a favorite to win the upcoming season’s NCAA title.
Main Photo: Embed from Getty Images