Caleb Love, like any NBA Draft prospect, was hoping to hear his name called over the two-day event.
Unfortunately, that didn't happen.
However, it wasn't a wasted opportunity by any means, as Love was quickly signed by an NBA team to a deal.
Arizona’s Caleb Love – one of the most prolific scorers in college basketball – is expected to sign a two-way NBA contract with the Portland Trail Blazers, sources tell ESPN. Love went undrafted and now lands a deal to be on the Blazers’ roster next season.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 27, 2025
According to ESPN's Shams Charania, Love is expected to sign a two-way NBA contract with the Portland Trail Blazers. The news was announced just moments after the 2025 NBA Draft in Brooklyn officially came to a close.
In case you're not familiar with how two-way contracts work, here's some details:
A two-way contract in the NBA allows a player to split their time between an NBA team and its G League affiliate. Players on two-way contracts can spend a limited amount of time with their NBA team (up to 50 games) while the rest of the season is spent with the G League squad. These players are not eligible for postseason play, but organizations can elect to sign the player to a guaranteed contract with the main club.
One misconception about the NBA Draft is that all players selected are guaranteed roster spots. However, that's not the case, as most second round picks are offered two-way contracts (as we saw last year with Harrison Ingram).
For Love, all he needed was an opportunity, one that the Trail Blazers were excited to provide him with.
One of college basketball's elite scorers, Love began his career with the UNC basketball program. His clutch three-pointer in the Final Four victory over rival Duke is a highlight that will never get lost in the shuffle, as Love was a very productive player over his three seasons on campus.
Looking for a change of scenery, Love transferred to Arizona ahead of his true senior season. He elected to utilize his fifth year of eligibility to play two seasons with the Wildcats, providing a veteran presence for Tommy Lloyd's team.
All Love needed was an opportunity, one that he quickly found at the conclusion of the 2025 NBA Draft. While this wasn't the path that the former five-star recruit had in mind, it's a journey he's certainly willing to take as he now looks to earn a full-time roster spot with an NBA team.
Knowing Caleb Love, he will make the most of the opportunity, as no moment is too big for the former Tar Heel. If we had to bet on a player to prove everyone wrong, we'd happily put our chips on Caleb Love, a guy who Tar Heel fans should be rooting extremely hard for throughout his professional basketball career.