Caleb Love may not have heard his name called on Wednesday or Thursday during the 2025 NBA Draft, but that doesn’t mean he won’t get his shot in the Association next season. Following the conclusion of the NBA Draft on Thursday, Caleb Love signed a two-way deal with the Portland Trail Blazers. ESPN’s Shams Charania first reported the news.
After three seasons in Chapel Hill at North Carolina, Love spent the last two years of his collegiate career in Tucson, where he continued building on his household reputation. The 2024 Pac-12 Player of the Year and First-Team All-American, and 2025 First-Team All-Big 12 selection, averaged 17.6 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 3.5 assists per game in his Wildcat career, leading Arizona to a Sweet Sixteen berth in both seasons.
“Caleb is going to be in the NBA next year, 100 percent,” said Arizona head coach Tommy Lloyd ahead of the draft, citing Love’s 35-point performance in the NCAA Tournament against Duke.
“I don’t know how many guys can go out and score 35 points, easy, on Duke. He showed you something there. You know what? He might be a little consistent, but I know there’s not too many guys who can do that,” said Lloyd. “I’m very confident in Caleb’s opportunity, that he’s going to earn an opportunity to be on an NBA roster. From there he’s got to make the best of it.”
Caleb Love heads to a budding, talented Portland Trail Blazers team featuring a young core of Shaedon Sharpe, Donovan Clingan, and Scoot Henderson, where he’ll have an opportunity to carve out a role between the Summer League and G-League as he looks to secure a full-time spot on the roster. He will also join former Wildcat and 2018 No. 1 overall pick Deandre Ayton, who spent the last two seasons in Portland after spending the first five years of his career with the Phoenix Suns.
Love becomes the second player from Arizona’s 2024-25 roster to make an NBA roster, joining Carter Bryant, who was selected 14th overall by the San Antonio Spurs.