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Should Gonzaga bring transfer guard Caleb Love to Spokane? Weighing the pros and cons

Love is an electric scorer who would thrive in an up tempo offense, but he brings little else offensively and isn't a great defensive player.

SPOKANE, Wash. — Former North Carolina Tar Heels guard Caleb Love is once again available via the NCAA transfer portal, having his admission to the University of Michigan denied by the school's admissions department.

Love averaged 16.7 points per game in his third season with the Tar Heels, but his inefficient shooting (29.9% from three) and struggles playing alongside guard RJ Davis led Hubert Davis' team to a disappointing finish as they became the first modern team to not make the NCAA Tournament after beginning the season ranked No. 1 overall in the AP Poll.

Love does not have a shortage of suitors across the NCAA, and the Gonzaga Bulldogs join a long list of interested teams that includes Arizona, Alabama, Texas, Louisville, and UConn.

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Locked on Zags host Andy Patton believes Love could thrive in Mark Few's up tempo offense, especially alongside a point guard like Ryan Nembhard, but wonders if Love's tendency to shoot teams out of games and limited ability on defense make this a risk worth pursuing for Gonzaga.

Additionally, bringing Love on board would alter the playing time for incoming junior Nolan Hickman, which could slow his development after he started nearly every single game last season.

Love's high level scoring would translate well in an up tempo offense like Gonzaga's, and a move to the WCC should help his efficiency numbers increase in his fourth collegiate season. 

But his defensive limitations and an already crowded backcourt in Spokane make this a tough sell for both Gonzaga and Love, and probably leads to the star guard landing elsewhere ahead of the 2023-24 college basketball season.

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