UNC Basketball: Caleb Love’s recent breakout huge for Tar Heels

“It changes everything for us… He really is a special player.” — Armando Bacot

“It’s just all about confidence,” Love admitted when asked about his mentality over the last couple games. “I was in that slump most of the season, and just seeing the ball go through the hoop… I think it was just more mental with me, more than just ability, because I know I can shoot, my teammates know I can shoot, my coaches know I can shoot.”

To anyone who’s seen Love on a high school hardwood, they know this sentiment to be true. Based in reality. Quite factual. Racking up numerous accolades at the prep level, Love was liable to terrorize opposing MSHSAA defenses on any given night with flashy space creation, adept ball screen manipulation, and audacious pull-up jumpers that extended well beyond the three-point arch.

His game was predicated on his prowess off-the-bounce, and late in the first half against Wake Forest, Love seemingly recaptured that creative magic with a bevy of pull-up jumpers when Carolina was in the midst of a slog.

Operating as the ball-handler in Carolina’s “continuity ball screen” offense, Love sets up the slot pick-and-roll rejection with a tight left-right hesi crossover, getting his defender to ram into the pick — aided by a well-timed rescreen from Garrison Brooks — before dribbling into a mid-range pull-up jumper, unfazed by the drop defender’s outstretched arm.

Splash.

But he didn’t stop there. Handling the rock at the top of the key on two separate occasions, Love went to his pick-and-roll pull-up 3 — a staple of his offensive repertoire, a shot that he drilled on repeat at Christian Brothers College High School — waiting for his defender to mistakenly go underneath the screen (both times!) before firing away and cashing in on each trifecta.

Shots were falling now. Impressive shots. Daring shots. His shots.

With the freshman finally seeing the bottom of the net, energy took over. The confident Caleb Love that was popularized by YouTube highlight reels and BallIsLife mixtapes had reappeared and in a big way. Though the second half didn’t feature more of his bold shot-making heroics, Love showcased exceptional pace and control in transition, capitalizing on leakouts and finding gaps in Wake’s unset defense for him to exploit with guile and finesse.

Caleb Love was in a rhythm, one that he hadn’t felt in some time, one that permeated throughout all aspects of his game, far beyond simply putting the ball in the basket.

Because, as he’ll tell you, there is more to the game than scoring. More to the game than finishing at the cup or launching jumpers or racking up points in the box score.

“But once the scoring was there,” Love said, “then my whole game would show.”

And it did.