Caleb Love
Getty
Caleb Love of the Portland Trail Blazers.
Going into the 2025-26 season, the Portland Trail Blazers were already deemed one of the possible breakout teams by the NBA media. So far, the preseason predictions have been correct, as the Blazers are 23-24 after a road loss to the Boston Celtics. Rookie Caleb Love has been a surprise impact player, earning a nickname from Damian Lillard.
In the 2025 NBA Draft, Love went undrafted despite averaging 15.9 points over five seasons at North Carolina and Arizona. He signed a two-way contract with the Blazers, but he has become a crucial member of the roster. He is currently averaging 11.3 points in 22.3 minutes per game.
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It’s been a long journey for Caleb Love — going from a McDonald’s All-American to undrafted.
Now he’s playing like a “top-10 pick,” with his idol-turned-teammate Damian Lillard guiding him.
Going undefeated is actually a big part of Lillard’s nickname for Love: “Top-10 pick.” In an article written byThe Athletic’s Jason Quick, Lillard prompted him to ask Love what his nickname was. Love responded by saying, “Top-10 pick … Just hearing that from him made me so excited … like, he doesn’t even know. I’m still a little kid when it comes to him. I still look up to him.”
However, the nickname is deeper than just that. Love was the second-ranked point guard coming out of high school in 2019. Then, in college, despite bumps in the road, Love still had a solid career at big schools. Love talked about his night going undrafted, saying, “I didn’t shed no tears, not right then and there. But I did later, when I got home.”
Lillard already knew Love, meeting back in 2022 at his inaugural Formula Zero camp for college guards preparing for the NBA. The two quickly formed a bond, as Lillard told Quick, “He asked me all the questions that kids don’t really ask, you know? I could tell he was really trying to figure it out.”
Now that they are the same team, Lillard has continued to support Love from the bench as he is out for the season with a torn Achilles. When talking about Love, Lillard said to Quick, “He is the right type of kid. He has the game… and he’s just figuring it out. So, I think this is just the beginning.”
Caleb Love’s Season and Lillard’s Mentorship
Caleb Love Damian Lillard
GettyCaleb Love on the left and Damian Lillard on the right.
Despite being an undrafted rookie, Love has been a crucial part of the Blazers’ rotation, playing in all but eight games. The biggest reason is that Scoot Henderson has not played this season due to a hamstring injury. Plus, Jrue Holiday missed over two months after 12 games due to a calf injury.
Those injuries have given Love a chance to get consistent playing time, and he has made the most of it. Since December 23rd, Love has officially made the rotation, in large part due to injuries to Jrue Holiday and Scoot Henderson. It has been just over a month, and Love has played for less than24 minutes once, averaging 15.7 points despite making only one start.
It is also easy to see how Lillard has impacted Love’s play style. Over the past month, Love’s three-point shooting has been excellent, attempting 8.2 per game, making 3.1. It was not tillLillard’s fourth season that he put up nearly identical shooting splits from behind the arc.
Beyond that, Lillard spoke with Quick about his role as a mentor to Love. In the article, Lillard talks about going to the gym and not seeing Love there, and texting him, “Hey … to play well, this is what is required.” Love referred to it as “planting seeds” as the two keep getting closer.
What’s Next For Love
Caleb Love
GettyCaleb Love with the ball.
Before December 23rd, when Love started to get more consistent playing time, the Blazers were12-17. Since then, the Blazers have gone11-7. Their net rating has also increased from -3.1 in those first 29 games to 0.6 over the last 18. This stretch has led the Balzers to the ninth seed in the Western Conference, with a path to the play-in.
The Blazers’ improved record does not mean Love has magically turned them into a contender in a really difficult Western Conference. However, it does seem pretty clear that Love’s play has impacted the team’s winning.
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2026 NBA Rising Stars rosters:
Despite that, Love will not be competing in the Rising Star game, making him one of the best rookie performers to miss out on the All-Star break festivities. Still, it is hard to imagine Love cooling off anytime soon. He has a guiding hand in Lillard, and his play on the court is now earning him minutes.