Caleb Love
A clutch college basketball guard whose unforgettable shot etched his name into the history of one of the sport's greatest rivalries.
Born 2001 (age 25)·American basketball player·Birthday: September 27·Generation Z
Biography
Caleb Love's basketball narrative is defined by a single, seismic moment that transcended the ordinary trajectory of a college athlete. A highly-touted recruit from St. Louis, his time at the University of North Carolina was a rollercoaster of explosive scoring runs and inconsistent performances. Yet, in the 2022 NCAA Tournament, with his team's season on the line against arch-rival Duke in a historic Final Four matchup, Love authored an instant classic. His step-back three-pointer in the final seconds sealed the victory, sending the Tar Heels to the national championship game and forever immortalizing him in Carolina lore. After transferring to the University of Arizona to refine his game, he led the Wildcats to a Pac-12 tournament title, demonstrating growth as a leader and playmaker. His journey to the NBA, beginning as a two-way player with the Portland Trail Blazers, is a testament to a player whose confidence and shot-making ability can change the fate of a game in a heartbeat.
Generation Z
1997–2012
Born into smartphones, social media, and school shootings. The most diverse generation in history. Pragmatic about money, fluid about identity, anxious about the climate. They do not remember a world before the internet.
Caleb was born in 2001, placing them squarely in the Generation Z. The events that shaped this generation — social media, climate anxiety, and a pandemic — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Caleb Was Born
The biggest hits of 2001
#1 Movie
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
Best Picture
A Beautiful Mind
#1 TV Show
Survivor
Caleb's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
2001Born
September 11 attacks transform the world
Gas: $1.46/galHome: $126,400Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Hanging by a Moment" — LifehouseBest Picture: A Beautiful Mind
2006Started school
Twitter launches; Pluto reclassified as dwarf planet
Gas: $2.59/galHome: $174,700Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Bad Day" — Daniel PowterBest Picture: The Departed
2014Became a teenager
Russia annexes Crimea; Ebola outbreak in West Africa
Gas: $3.37/galHome: $160,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Happy" — Pharrell WilliamsBest Picture: Birdman
2017Could drive
#MeToo movement; solar eclipse crosses the US
Gas: $2.42/galHome: $195,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Shape of You" — Ed SheeranBest Picture: The Shape of Water
2019Could vote
First image of a black hole; Hong Kong protests
Gas: $2.60/galHome: $224,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Old Town Road" — Lil Nas XBest Picture: Parasite
2022Turned 21
Russia invades Ukraine; Queen Elizabeth II dies
Gas: $3.97/galHome: $348,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"As It Was" — Harry StylesBest Picture: Everything Everywhere All at Once
2026Age 25 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Hit the game-clinching three-pointer to defeat Duke in the 2022 NCAA Final Four, a moment voted the Best Play in ESPY Award history.
- Led the Arizona Wildcats to the 2024 Pac-12 Conference tournament championship, earning Most Outstanding Player honors.
- Scored a career-high 36 points for North Carolina in a victory over UCLA in the 2022 NCAA Tournament Sweet Sixteen.
- Named to the All-Pac-12 First Team in 2024 after his transfer season at Arizona.
Did You Know?
He was a standout multi-sport athlete in high school, also playing wide receiver in football.
Love wears jersey number 2 in honor of his late cousin, who also played basketball.
His father, Dennis Love, played college basketball at Missouri Western State University.
He announced his transfer to Arizona on social media with a video parody of the show 'The Office.'
“Big time players make big time plays in big time games.”
