UNC basketball point guard [autotag]Caleb Love[/autotag] had a big NCAA Tournament and Final Four and it very likely helped his NBA draft stock.
While the Tar Heels guard has yet to decide on his future plans, his play surely helped, according to 247Sports who slotted him as a ‘winner’ during their “NBA Draft ‘Winners and Losers’ from the 2022 Final Four” series.
247Sports national writer Travis Branham writes:
“It’s not even in question: The biggest winner on Saturday night was Caleb Love as he forever etched his name in North Carolina history by pouring in 28 points, leading the Tar Heels over their bitter rival,” Branham said. “Love’s journey to this moment came with plenty of adversity after a historically bad shooting year his freshman season. He put in the work during the offseason and came back with an improved jumper and scoring package and it paid off in a massive way on Saturday.”
Love finished with 28 points, including 22 in the second half, on 11-of-20 shooting in 40 minutes. He also hit the dagger three with 28 seconds left to ice the game against rival Duke.
“Love got out to a slow start but he didn’t let it faze him heading into the second half. Following halftime, he came out firing and connecting on his jumpers, dropping in floaters and finishing at the rim in transition. Love was only 3-for-10 from 3-point range vs. Duke, but his long-range dagger with 28 seconds left will go down as the highlight shot of his career, which says something considering the clutch heater he’s been on during the NCAA Tournament,” Branham said. “It took a little longer for Love to play like the former Top 10 prospect he was coming out of high school, but it came at the perfect time of the year for North Carolina. You can safely consider him as a future first-round pick.”
Love averaged 15.9 points per game this season while adding 3.4 rebounds and 3.6 assists per game. Love also saw his three-point shooting increase from 26.6 percent on 4.4 attempts per game as a freshman to 36 percent on 6.6 attempts as a sophomore. He had 13 games of 20+ points this year.
During the NCAA Tournament, Love averaged 18.8 points per game with three 20+ point games and one 30-point game, which came against UCLA in the Sweet 16 when he scored 27 points in the second half.
Follow us @TarHeelsWire on Twitter and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of North Carolina Tar Heels news, notes and opinions.
Let us know your thoughts, comment on this story below. Join the conversation today.