How are UNC basketball's former players, including Caleb Love, faring with new teams?
With 10 wins in its first 13 games and a top-10 ranking, UNC basketball appears to have made the right choices with its revamped roster.
After missing the 2023 NCAA Tournament, the Tar Heels saw seven players enter the transfer portal. Head coach Hubert Davis filled gaps with five players from the portal and a pair of freshmen.
So far, so good for UNC (10-3, 2-0 ACC). Four of the Tar Heels’ transfers — Harrison Ingram, Cormac Ryan, Jae’Lyn Withers and Paxson Wojcik — are averaging double-digit minutes.
Ingram and Ryan have been regulars in the starting lineup. Ingram is averaging 13.4 points and 7.0 rebounds, and Ryan is contributing 11.1 points and 3.7 rebounds per game.
The changes appear to be working out for UNC, but how are the Tar Heels’ former players faring at their new schools? Here’s a look at the seven players who entered the portal after the 2022-23 season.
Caleb Love, Arizona
Clearly, this separation has worked out well for both parties. After three seasons with the Tar Heels, Love ended up at Arizona, where he’s enjoying a renaissance as one of the Wildcats’ top players. It didn’t take Love long to endear himself to Arizona fans as he helped the Wildcats seal an early-season win at Duke. He’s averaging a career-high 17.4 points, along with 5.0 rebounds and 3.2 assists through 13 games for the 10th-ranked team in the country.
HOW UNC WON AT PITT: Harrison Ingram’s rebounding highlights UNC basketball’s win at Pitt
ACC FAVORITES: Why four favorites in the ACC basketball title chase will – and won’t – win a championship
LOVE'S RETURN TO DUKE: Former UNC basketball player Caleb Love waves goodbye to Duke as Arizona Wildcat
Dontrez Styles, Georgetown
Like Love, Dontrez Styles has settled in nicely at his new home. The Kinston native is averaging 14.8 points and 5.6 rebounds per game at Georgetown. After averaging just under six minutes per game in his two seasons with the Tar Heels, Styles averaged 34.4 minutes in his first 14 games with the Hoyas. He’s dropped double-digit points in four of the last five games.
Justin McKoy, Hawaii
As far as destinations go, nobody got a better deal than Justin McKoy. After two seasons with the Tar Heels, McKoy is enjoying a career-best year in Hawaii. In the starting lineup for each of the Rainbow Warriors’ 13 games, McKoy averaged 10.3 points and 6.3 rebounds. He’s also knocking down 40% of his attempts from 3-point range.
D’Marco Dunn, Penn State
One of two former Tar Heels to make the move to Penn State, Dunn averaged 7.2 points and 1.9 rebounds in his first 13 games with the Nittany Lions. The first player from Arizona to play at UNC, Dunn is averaging six more minutes per game in State College. He reached double figures in four straight games to end 2023.
Puff Johnson, Penn State
As a Pennsylvania native, it made sense for Puff Johnson to transition closer to home. Through 11 games with the Nittany Lions, Johnson is averaging a career-high 7.0 points and 3.4 rebounds. He’s coming off double-digit scoring performances in two of the last three games.
Tyler Nickel, Virginia Tech
Another player who chose to return to his home state, Tyler Nickel is averaging 8.2 points and 25.6 minutes through 12 games at Virginia Tech. Nickel has seven games with double-digit points, including three of the last four.
Will Shaver, UAB
An Alabama native, Shaver is averaging just under 10 minutes per game at UAB. He hasn’t played in eight of the Blazers’ 14 games this season, averaging 1.3 points and 2.0 rebounds.
Staff writer Rodd Baxley can be reached at rbaxley@fayobserver.com or @RoddBaxley on X/Twitter.
This article originally appeared on The Fayetteville Observer: Caleb Love among former UNC basketball players thriving in new place
