Keeping It Heel
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UNC Basketball 2020-21 Player Preview: Caleb Love

By Blake Cockrum

Oct 6, 2018; Colorado Springs, CO, USA; USA Men's Junior National Team participant Caleb Love (86) during minicamp at the U.S. Olympic Training Center. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 6, 2018; Colorado Springs, CO, USA; USA Men's Junior National Team participant Caleb Love (86) during minicamp at the U.S. Olympic Training Center. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports /
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Keeping It Heel continues its preview of the 2020-21 UNC basketball program with freshman point guard Caleb Love. He’s the latest in a string of 5-star floor generals for Roy Williams and the Tar Heels.

Armando Bacot | Leaky Black | Walker Kessler | Day’Ron Sharpe | Creighton Lebo | Puff Johnson | Kerwin Walton | R.J. Davis

Perhaps the most important piece of the Tar Heels’ heralded 2020 recruiting class is Caleb Love. The 6-foot-4, 195-pound point guard is the latest in a string of 5-star point guards at North Carolina, and replaces former Tar Heel floor general and one-and-done player Cole Anthony.

Love joins the UNC basketball program as the No. 14 prospect in the nation according to the 247Sports Composite. He’s the second-ranked point guard in the class, and No. 1 from the state of Missouri. His signing marked the third consecutive season that Roy Williams and the Tar Heels have brought in a freshman point guard ranked in the top three of his respective class. The prior two, Anthony and Coby White, both left Chapel Hill after just one season. Whether or not Love decides to go the same route is yet to be seen, but many suspect that his tenure in college will be a short one.

In the mean time, expectations for Love are extraordinarily high, and his production will need to match them if the Tar Heels are to rebound from their dreadful 14-19 campaign from a season ago. He’s certainly got the pedigree to do so, what with his tremendous speed and athleticism, along with the kind of versatility that will allow the UNC coaching staff to play him at either guard position if need be. He’s a score-first point guard, but passes the ball well, too, and sets his teammates up in good position to score. He’ll excel in the half court, or on the fast break, and will take advantage of the broad arsenal of offensive weapons at his disposal.

What to Expect in 2020-21

I expect Love to help lead the Tar Heels to a 20-plus win season, and a return to the NCAA Tournament in March. While I expect him to lead the team in assists, I don’t think it’ll be by a wide margin. Fellow freshman back court running mate R.J. Davis is a capable passer as well, and so is junior hybrid guard/forward Leaky Black. I also expect Love to be one of the Tar Heels’ most effective and consistent offensive options this season. While I anticipate Garrison Brooks to lead the team in points per game, I can see Love trailing closely behind him.

Bold Prediction

Love excels on the offensive end of the court in his first season with the Tar Heels, and tops Tyler Hansbrough’s UNC freshman scoring average of 18.9 points per game. He plays well from inside the arc and out, while utilizing college basketball’s best front court in Brooks, Armando Bacot, Day’Ron Sharpe and Walker Kessler. The new-look Tar Heels make a nice run in the NCAA Tourney before Love heads off to the NBA Draft after a terrific freshman campaign at North Carolina.

dark. Next. Tar Heels meet with 2022 recruit

Stick with Keeping It Heel for our upcoming player previews as we inch closer to the start of the 2020-21 UNC basketball season.

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