CHARLOTTE – North Carolina junior guard Caleb Love was one of three Tar Heels along with head coach Hubert Davis representing the team at the annual ACC Tipoff on Wednesday at The Westin.
In addition to the formal press conference in the main ballroom, each team was available to the media in breakouts rooms. Above is video of Love’s Q&A session in the breakout room, and below are some notes and pulled quotes from what he had to say:
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*Love has missed most of the last three weeks dealing with a bad hamstring, but he said he is much better and ready to start practicing.
“I practiced a little bit, but I had pulled it again,” Love said.
*When we last spoke with Love in July, he said a major point of emphasis in the offseason was becoming more consistent. He had some amazing high-end games last season, but also some real struggles. So, the mission was to significantly trim that gap by pulling up the so-so game toward where the great games were.
Now, he has missed time practicing, so he can’t use the last few weeks as a gauge to see if there’s been tangible evidence in practice he’s accomplished that, but Love said he could tell he’d made progress before the hamstring injury.
“I’ve seen a consistent level of me making shots more than I miss,” he said. “I feel like I’ve found a rhythm and knowing what certain shots I can and what certain shots I shouldn’t take. It’s just a matter of me not taking as many bad shots.”
*The run Carolina went on last spring will be remembered forever in UNC lore, but for the players, what did that wild ride do to their friendships? Are they even closer because of it?
“It’s been great,” Love said. “I love these dudes with all my heart, and it’s great being around them each and every day. I’m grateful to have them as teammates, and I call them brothers.”
*With the Heels making the national title game, the players’ profiles soared and many had opportunities this past offseason that maybe wouldn’t have been there otherwise. Love’s favorite one wasn’t about money of gear or anything like that. It was about basketball and working out with NBA star Damian Lillard in Portland.
“That’s probably the biggest thing, this summer I got to go to his camp,” Love said. “And that was kind of a humbling experience and a great experience for me because that’s my favorite player. Just being able to see how hard he goes, and pick his brain on certain things, was great.
“And I appreciate him for that.”
*Love was asked his thoughts on the returning players that were not starters a year ago as we as the newcomers.
“Really, all of them,” he said, noting each of the players have impressed him. “Puff (Johnson), Dontrez (Styles), Tyler Nickel’s gonna be great because he can make shots, make tough shots. He’s a dawg. Seth (Trimble), he’s going to be able to defend like hell.
“I’m impressed with all of them. D’Marco (Dunn) has taken a big step. So really, all of them.”
*Trimble was the No. 36 overall player nationally in the class of 2022. Love says the 6-foot-3 combo guard will help the Heels win games.
“He brings a defensive presence,” Love said. “He guards me and RJ the toughest. We need that and that’s going to make us better… If he can guard us, he can guard anybody.”
*A fair narrative about these Tar Heels is this season is “championship or bust.” That’s their words. Love said that when on the stage in the formal session prior to the breakout session, but that he (they) also want to write their own story. The comparison is to the Redemption Part II talk, as the 2017 UNC national title team was the first redemption team since they lost the title game in 2016.
Love explained what he means:
“We’re writing our own story because (people) want to compare the 2016 and 2017 team, but I feel like we’re a whole different team than what they were,” Love said. “That’s what I meant by ‘write our own story,’
“As far as championship or bust, that’s what we’re coming into. That’s the mindset.”
