North Carolina’s top scorer decides to enter transfer portal

Jeff Goodman of Stadium adds it was a “mutual parting of ways” between Love and UNC.

Love, 21, became a Tar Heels icon during his three seasons at Chapel Hill. He was their leading scorer in 2022-23 (with 16.7 points per game) and was also a hero for UNC during their run to the national championship game the season before. Love took over multiple games in that year’s tournament with his one-on-one shot creation, including a dagger three-pointer that downed archnemesis Duke in the Final Four.

But this season was a hapless one for the Tar Heels. They finished 20-13 (including just 11-9 in conference play) and missed the NCAA Tournament altogether. Now Love has become one of six UNC players (along with Puff Johnson, Justin McKoy, Dontrez Styles, Will Shaver, and Tyler Nickel) to enter the portal.

The Tar Heels did recently get a boost with the news that another key player is surprisingly returning for another season. But they will have to find their footing again without their best offensive threat in Love (on top of all the other players who are transferring.)