By R.L. Bynum
After an offseason in which six women’s players and one men’s player transferred from Carolina, 17 former Tar Heels are playing for other colleges — nine men’s players and eight women’s players.
After gauging his NBA stock at the G League Elite Camp, Caleb Love, last season’s Pac-12 Player of the Year, passed up a potential two-way NBA contract, opting to return to Arizona for his fifth college season and has a new look.
Gone are the long hair, the dreads and the headband, and he enters his fifth college season with a short, more clean-cut look in the Wildcats’ first season in the Big 12 Conference.
Check out the top photo and his headshot in the list below the story. It almost doesn’t look like Love.
Love led Arizona to a 27–9 record before his season, like UNC’s, ended at the West Regional Sweet 16 in Los Angeles.
Also back for the Wildcats are reserve point guard Jaden Bradley and wing K.J. Lewis. Lost to the NBA, though, were starting forwards Pelle Larsson and Keshad Johnson. Two starters — point guard Kylan Boswell (Illinois) and center Oumar Ballo (Indiana) — transferred. However, the Wildcats added Oakland transfer Trey Townsend, Tennessee transfer Tobe Awaka and McDonald’s All-American freshman Carter Bryant.
Former UNC guard Paulina Paris, wearing a number — 23 — unavailable at Carolina, joined Love in Arizona as the women’s basketball program plays its first Big 12 season. Under ninth-year coach Adia Barnes, the Wildcats went 18–16 last season and lost to Syracuse in the second round of the NCAA tournament. That was the program’s most losses since dropping 24 in 2017–18.
Via @dejakelly on Instagram
Another former Carolina player with a trajectory similar to Love’s who has gone west is Deja Kelly, who also arrived on the UNC campus for the pandemic season. She also battled through a tough freshman year and became one of the ACC’s best players during her UNC career, earning first-team All-ACC honors three times.
After graduating from UNC last spring, she is playing her fifth college season at Oregon, which begins play in the Big Ten.
Oregon coach Kelly Graves said Wednesday at Big Ten Media Days in Chicago that Kelly “legitimizes” his program after the Ducks went 11–21 last season. Graves noted that once Kelly entered the transfer portal, his staff “worked our butts off” to get her.
“We needed Deja,” said Graves, who led Oregon to the 2019 Final Four during Sabrina Ionescu’s junior season. “I think Deja needed us. She talked about that because she’s got an opportunity to play at the next level and be an impact player there. At the same time, we really needed a kind of a jolt, and Deja is one of the best players in the country.”
Senior James Okonkwo, a little-used reserve center for UNC last season, is the only men’s player who transferred. He’ll play his senior season at Akron, which went 24–11 last season, won the MAC Tournament and lost to Creighton in the first round of the NCAA tournament.
Two former UNC men’s players transferred after one season at other schools. Notably, Dontrez Styles went to N.C. State after one season at Georgetown, and Tyler Nickel to Vanderbilt after one season at Virginia Tech.
“At the time, because I was at Carolina, I would’ve been like, ‘That’s crazy,’ ” Styles said of a one-time Tar Heel playing at N.C. State, as reported by The Fayetteville Observer. “But it’s not too bad. This was probably my second option out of high school. I’ve known [Coach Kevin] Keatts for a long time, so just being here now, it’s great. I’m enjoying the journey so far.”
Styles is one of eight newcomers who join returnees Michael O’Connell, Jayden Taylor and Ben Middlebrooks. The Wolfpack’s biggest losses from the team that won the ACC tournament and made the Final Four were DJ Horne, Casey Morsell and DJ Burns.
Nickel joins a Vandy program in transition after the school fired former UNC star Jerry Stackhouse (now an assistant coach with the Golden State Warriors) following a 22–15 season and an NIT appearance. Former UNCW player Mark Byington, a former Virginia Tech assistant coach, takes over the program after going 82–36 over four seasons at James Madison.
Other men’s players returning to the same schools in addition to Love are senior guard D’Marco Dunn and fifth-year forward Puff Johnson at Penn State, senior center Dawson Garcia at Minnesota, redshirt sophomore Will Shaver at UAB and fifth-year guard Kerwin Walton at Texas Tech.
Dawson, the Gophers’ leading scorer last season with 17.6 points per game, made the 10-player All-Big Ten Preseason First Team.
Penn State (16–17, 9–11) and Minnesota (19–15, 9–11) tied for ninth in the Big Ten last season. UAB (23–12, 12–6) was fourth in the American.
Texas Tech is a program on the upswing (23–11, 11–7 last season) after finishing third in the Big 12. Other returnees are junior forward Darrion Williams, two other fifth-year players — guard Chance McMillian and forward Devan Cambridge — junior guard Jack Francis and sophomore forward Eemali Yalaho.
Walton may have a more significant role after All-Big 12 third-team guard Pop Isaacs transferred to Creighton. Walton, a freshman at UNC in the 2020–21 season, started the final 26 games last season, averaging 8.5 points per game.
Two other women’s transfers went to ACC schools: Anya Poole and RyLee Grays.
Poole, who graduated from UNC last spring, will play her fifth college season at Clemson after starting 74 games over four seasons as a Tar Heel. Carolina visits Clemson (12–19, 5–13 ACC last season) at 2 p.m. on Feb. 9 (ESPN3).
Grays, who only played five games for UNC and only once after Dec. 15, hopes for more playing time at Virginia. The Cavaliers (16–16, 7–11 last season) play at Carolina in the regular-season finale for both teams at 2 p.m. March 2 (The CW).
Teonni Key transferred out of the league but will still play at Carmichael Arena this season. The redshirt junior forward joined the Kentucky program under first-year former Virginia Tech coach Kenny Brooks. The Wildcats (12–20, 4–12 SEC last season) visit UNC in the ACC/SEC Women’s Challenge at 5 p.m. Dec. 4 (ESPN2).
Two former UNC women’s players return to the same programs — senior Destiny Adams at Rutgers (8–24, 2–16 Big Ten, last in the league last season) and fifth-year guard Kennedy Todd-Williams at Ole Miss. Neither plays Carolina this season, but Todd-Williams’ Rebels (24–9, 12–4 SEC last season) play at N.C. State in the ACC/SEC Women’s Challenge at 7 p.m. on Dec. 5.
Ole Miss, which lost at Notre Dame in the second round of the NCAA tournament, opens the season on Nov. 4 with a game in Paris against a deep and talented Southern Cal team.
Checking in on 17 former Heels
Destiny Adams, Rutgers forward
6–3 | Senior | UNC 2021–23 (2 seasons)
Season statistics — 23 games, 22 starts, 17.8 points, 43.2 FG%, 25.0 3FG%, 66.8 FT%, 9.8 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 2.6 steals, 1.0 block
81–60 Thursday loss at Indiana — Started; 38 minutes, 24 points, 10–21 FG, 0–1 3FG, 4–7 FT, 9 rebounds, 4 fouls, 5 turnovers, 3 steals, -15
Season-highs — 36 points, 22 rebounds Nov. 10 vs. NJIT
Record — 9–14, 1–11 Big Ten
Next game — 1 p.m. Sunday vs. Purdue
D’Marco Dunn, Penn State guard
6–5, 205 pounds | Senior | UNC 2021–23 (2 seasons)
Season statistics — 22 games, 0 starts; 6.3 points, 40.2 FG%, 36.2 3P%, 90.9 FT%, 2.0 rebounds
69–61 Tuesday loss vs. Minnesota — Didn’t start; 32 minutes, 18 points (game-high), 6–11 FG, 2–4 3FG, 4–4 FT, 6 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 fouls, 2 turnovers, 1 steal, -8
Season-highs — 18 points (also Jan. 15 at Michigan State), 6 rebounds on Tuesday vs. Minnesota
Record — 13–10, 3–9 Big Ten
Next game — 4 p.m. Saturday at UCLA, Big Ten Network
Dawson Garcia, Minnesota forward
6–11, 234 pounds | Senior | UNC 2020–21 (part of 1 season)
Season statistics — 23 games, 23 starts; 20.1 points (leads team), 51.0 FG%, 37.4 3P%, 75.2 FT%, 7.4 rebounds (leads team), 2.0 assists, 1.0 block
69–61 Tuesday win at Penn State — Started; 38 minutes, 19 points, 7–14 FG, 0–2 3FG, 5–7 FT, 14 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 foul, 2 turnovers, +7
Season-highs — 31 points, 3 blocks on Jan. 25 vs. Oregon; 14 rebounds Tuesday at Penn State; 4 3-pointers Nov. 6 vs. Oral Roberts and Dec. 29 vs. Morgan State
Record — 12–11, 4–8 Big Ten
Next game — 6 p.m. Saturday vs. No. 23 Illinois, Big Ten Network
RyLee Grays, Virginia forward
6–4 | Sophomore | UNC 2023–24 (1 season)
Season statistics — 22 games, 1 start, 2.0 points, 32.6 FG%, 65.4 FT%, 2.7 rebounds
101–68 Thursday loss vs. No. 25 Florida State — Didn’t start; 12 minutes, 4 points, 2–3 FG, 3 rebounds, 1 foul, 1 turnovers, -3
Season-highs — 6 points, 6 rebounds Nov. 29 vs. Washington State
Record — 12–12, 4–8 ACC
Next game — noon Sunday vs. Virginia Tech, ACC Network
Puff Johnson, Penn State wing
6–8, 205 pounds | Fifth season | UNC 2020–23 (3 seasons)
Season statistics — 17 games, 17 starts; 10.2 points, 54.3 FG%, 30.2 3P%, 81.0 FT%, 4.4 rebounds, 1.3 steals
69–61 Tuesday loss vs. Minnesota — Didn’t play; hasn’t misses last five games with a hand injury
Season-highs — 20 points Nov. 12 vs. Saint Francis (Pa.); 10 rebounds Dec. 21 vs. Drexel
Record — 13–9, 3–8 Big Ten
Next game — 4 p.m. Saturday at UCLA, Big Ten Network
Deja Kelly, Oregon guard
5–8 | Fifth season | UNC 2020–24 (4 seasons)
Season statistics — 23 games, 23 starts, 9.7 points, 37.4 FG%, 14.9 3P%, 59.5 FT%, 4.3 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 1.4 steals
79–61 Thursday loss vs. No. 14 Maryland — Started; 18 minutes, 2 points, 0–5 FG, 0–1 3FG, 2–2 FT. 1 foul, 1 block, 2 steals, -26
Season-highs — 21 points, 3 3-pointers on Nov. 6 vs. Nevada; 11 rebounds on Nov. 18 vs. Grand Canyon; 8 assists on Nov. 4 vs. California Baptist and Dec. 31 at Northwestern
Record — 16–7, 7–5 Big Ten
Next game — 4 p.m. Sunday vs. No. 1 UCLA
Teonni Key, Kentucky forward
6–4 | RS junior | UNC 2022–24 (2 seasons)
Season statistics — 21 games, 21 starts, 11.4 points, 55.2 FG%, 23.1 3P%, 73.3 FT%, 8.3 rebounds, 1.7 assists, 1.8 blocks
95–86 Sunday win at No. 13 Oklahoma — Started; 22 minutes, 2 points, 1–4 FG, 0–2 3FG, 6 rebounds, 2 assists, 5 fouls, 1 turnover, 1 steal
Season-highs — 20 points Jan. 23 at Texas A&M; 13 rebounds Nov. 12 vs. Wofford, Nov. 26 vs. Arizona State, Dec. 9 vs. Queens and Jan. 2 vs. Mississippi State; 6 blocks Nov. 26 vs. Arizona State; 5 assists Nov. 4 vs. USC Upstate
Record — 19–2, 8–1 SEC; Rank — No. 11
Next game — 7 p.m. Monday at Ole Miss
Caleb Love, Arizona guard
6–4, 205 pounds | Fifth season | UNC 2020–23 (3 seasons)
Season statistics — 22 games, 22 starts; 16.3 points (leads team), 39.1 FG%, 32.6 3P%, 86.9 FT%, 4.5 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 1.5 steals
85–74 Tuesday win at BYU — Started; 38 minutes, 18 points, 6–16 FG, 4–9 3FG, 2–2 FT, 6 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 turnovers, 2 steals, +16
Season-highs — 33 points, 5 3-pointers (also Saturday at Arizona State), 7 assists on Dec. 30 vs. TCU; 8 rebounds on Jan. 11 vs. UCF
Record — 16–6, 7–1 Big 12; Record — No. 20
Next game — 10 p.m. Saturday vs. No. 13 Texas Tech, ESPN
Tyler Nickel, Vanderbilt wing
6–7, 220 pounds | Junior | UNC 2022–23 (1 season)
Season statistics — 22 games, 22 starts; 9.6 points, 37.8 FG%, 39.2 3P%, 84.8 FT%, 2.3 rebounds
86–75 Tuesday loss at No. 6 Florida — Started; 23 minutes, 5 points, 2–5 FG, 1–3 3FG, 5 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 foul, 1 turnover, -2
Season-highs — 24 points, 6 3-pointers Nov. 22 vs. Seton Hall; 8 rebounds Nov. 10 vs. Southeast Missouri State;
Record — 16–6, 4–5 SEC
Next game — 7 p.m. Tuesday at No. 6 Florida, SEC Network
James Okonkwo, Akron forward
6–8, 240 pounds | Senior | UNC 2023–24 (1 season)
Season statistics — 22 games, 15 starts, 7.7 points, 55.1 FG%, 70.7 FT%, 7.3 rebounds, 1.1 blocks
81–73 Tuesday win vs. Ball State — Started; 17 minutes, 4 points, 2–4 FG, 0–1 FT, 6 rebounds, 4 fouls, 2 turnovers
Season-highs — 17 points on Dec. 3 vs. Northern Kentucky and on Jan. 11 at Eastern Kentucky; 16 rebounds on Dec. 7 vs. Brockport and on Dec. 21 vs. Jackson State
Record — 17–5, 10–0 MAC (along in first place); 10-game win streak
Next game — 2 p.m. Saturday vs. South Alabama, ESPN+
Paulina Paris, Arizona guard
5–9 | Junior | UNC 2022–24 (2 seasons)
Season statistics — 24 games, 20 starts, 8.7 points, 40.5 FG%, 31.2 3P%, 58.8 FT%, 3.1 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 1.5 steals
56–47 Wednesday loss at Colorado — Started; 14 minutes, 0 points, 0–5 FG, 0–1 3FG, 1 rebound, 2 turnovers, 1 block, +3
Season-highs — 22 points, 8 assists Dec. 2 vs. Seattle; 8 rebounds, 3 3-pointers Nov. 20 at Northern Arizona; 5 steals vs. West Virginia on Jan. 25
Record — 14–10, 5–6 Big 12
Next game — 4 p.m. Saturday at Arizona State, ESPN+
Anya Poole, Clemson forward
6–2 | Fifth season | UNC 2020–24 (4 seasons)
Season statistics — 22 games, 5 starts, 5.9 points, 58.8 FG%, 0–2 3FG, 68.2 FT%, 3.6 rebounds, 1.3 blocks
74–55 Thursday loss at No. 10 Duke — Didn’t start; 16 minutes, 11 points, 4–5 FG, 3–4 FT, 1 rebound, 1 assist, 4 fouls, 4 turnovers, 1 block, -9
Season-highs — 14 points on Nov. 11 vs. Presbyterian; 8 rebounds on Jan. 2 vs. California; 4 blocks on Jan. 9 vs. Virginia
Record — 11–12, 4–8 ACC
Next game — 2 p.m. Sunday vs. No. 13 North Carolina, ACC Network Extra
Will Shaver, UAB center
6–10, 260 pounds | Redshirt sophomore | UNC 2022–23 (1 season)
Season statistics — 9 games, 0 starts, 41 minutes, 2 points, 1–2 FG, 10 rebounds, 1 block, 3 steals
64–61 Monday win vs. North Texas — Didn’t play
Season-highs — 2 points Nov. 11 vs. Auburn Montgomery; 3 rebounds Nov. 22 vs. Longwood
Record — 14–8, 7–2 American
Next game — 7 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 11, at East Carolina, ESPNU
Dontrez Styles, N.C. State wing
6–6, 210 pounds | Senior | UNC 2021–23 (2 seasons)
Season statistics — 22 games, 20 starts, 10.0 points, 42.6 FG%, 35.6 3P%, 65.6 FT%, 4.6 rebounds, 1.0 block
74–62 Thursday loss at California — Started; 32 minutes, 6 points, 3–16 FG, 0–2 3FG, 10 rebounds (team-high), 1 foul, 1 turnover, 2 blocks (team-high), -6
Season-highs — 24 points, 6 3-pointers on Saturday vs. Clemson; 11 rebounds on Nov. 18 vs. Colgate
Record — 9–13, 2–9 ACC; 7 consecutive losses
Next game — 7 p.m. Saturday at Stanford, ACC Network
Kennedy Todd-Williams, Ole Miss guard
6–0 | Fifth season | UNC 2020–23 (3 seasons)
Season statistics — 22 games, 22 starts; 11.6 points, 36.0 FG%, 29.4 3P%, 82.7 FT%, 5.1 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 1.6 steals
66–56 Thursday loss vs. No. 13 Oklahoma — Started; 34 minutes, 4 points, 1–8 FG, 0–2 3FG, 2–2 FT, 2 rebounds, 3 turnovers, 2 blocks, 3 steals, -14
Season-highs — 25 points, 5 3-pointers, 7 assists on Jan. 9 vs. Vanderbilt; 10 rebounds on Nov. 10 vs. Arkansas-Pine Bluff; 5 assists Nov. 14 at Delaware State; 5 steals on Jan. 2 at Auburn
Record — 15–7, 6–4 SEC
Next game — 7 p.m. Monday vs. No. 11 Kentucky, ESPN2
Kerwin Walton, Texas Tech guard
6–5, 200 pounds | Fifth season | UNC 2020–22 (2 seasons)
Season statistics — 22 games, 221 starts, 4.8 points, 39.0 FG%, 41.4 3P%, 80 FT%, 1.1 rebounds
73–59 Tuesday win vs. Baylor — Started; 11 minutes, 3 points, 1–3 FG, 1–3 3FG, 1 assist, -3
Season-highs — 21 points, 7 3-pointers on Nov. 5 vs. Bethune-Cookman; 4 assists on Jan. 29 vs. TCU
Record — 18–4, 9–2 Big 12; Record — No. 13
Next game — 10 p.m. Saturday at No. 20 Arizona, ESPN
Ali Zelaya, UNCW forward
6–4 | Fifth season | UNC 2020–24 (4 seasons)
Season statistics — 23 games, 23 starts, 11.9 points, 39.5 FG%, 28.2 3P%, 80.6 FT%, 9.3 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 2.2blocks
72–67 Friday loss at Delaware — Started; 30 minutes,16 points, 4–10 FG, 1–2 3FG, 7–7 FT, 9 rebounds, 2 assists, 4 fouls, 6 turnovers, 4 blocks, +2
Season-highs — 26 points Feb. 1 vs. Stony Brook; 3 3-pointers on Nov. 29 vs. UMass-Lowell and Jan. 3 vs. Campbell; 19 rebounds, 5 blocks on Nov. 29 vs. UMass-Lowell
Record — 12–11, 6–4 CAA
Next game — 1 p.m. Sunday at Drexel, FloCollege
Top photo via @ArizonaMBB
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