Caleb Love Jersey: Why the Sixers Guard Wears No. 9
Caleb Love is the former Arizona and North Carolina star now building an NBA career with the Philadelphia 76ers.
What jersey number does Caleb Love wear?
Caleb Love wears No. 9 for the Philadelphia 76ers. That is the answer for fans searching Caleb Love jersey right now. It is a newer number for him after his move to Philadelphia on a two-way NBA contract in July 2026. Love wore No. 1 during his Arizona years, while many college basketball fans first knew him in North Carolina blue. A Sixers No. 9 Love jersey is the current choice for supporters who want the version of his story still being written.
That small detail explains the search spike. Basketball jerseys are often a snapshot of a player at a particular stop, and Love has already had several memorable ones. His Arizona No. 1 represents a Player of the Year run. His Philadelphia No. 9 points toward the harder, more uncertain work of making an NBA roster. Readers who keep up with the wider sports and culture news cycle have seen how quickly one strong preseason appearance can send fans looking for a player’s current team and number.
Who is Caleb Love?
Caleb Khristopher Love is an American professional basketball guard from St. Louis, Missouri. Born on September 27, 2001, he is 25 and entered the NBA after a five-year college career split between North Carolina and Arizona. Listed at 6-foot-3, Love plays as a scoring guard, someone trusted to create a shot, attack off the dribble, and take a difficult three when a possession starts to run short.
He is not a player whose path can be summed up by a single ranking or highlight. Love arrived in college as a highly regarded recruit, became a central figure in one of March Madness’s great rivalry moments, transferred across the country, won major conference honors, went undrafted, and still reached the league. That route gives him something in common with other young guards readers follow, including Minnesota guard Rob Dillingham and players trying to earn a lasting role rather than simply make a roster once.
Why is Caleb Love trending now?
Love is drawing fresh attention because his NBA story has moved to Philadelphia. The 76ers signed him to a two-way deal after his rookie season in Portland, and he has begun wearing No. 9 with a team that has a crowded, high-profile backcourt. In an October preseason game against the Knicks, he scored 15 points, made three three-pointers, and added six assists in 24 minutes. For a player on a two-way contract, a box score like that can bring a rush of curiosity.
The attention also comes from recognition. Arizona inducted Love into its Ring of Honor in February 2026, an unusually quick salute to a player whose college impact was unmistakable. Fans who watched his tournament games at North Carolina or Arizona are now checking whether he is still in the league, where he landed, and which jersey to buy. The search is really a question about progress: did the player remembered for huge college nights find his next stage?
Where is Caleb Love from and where did he play in college?
Love grew up in St. Louis and attended Christian Brothers College High School. He was a McDonald’s All-American and Missouri’s Gatorade Player of the Year before joining North Carolina in 2020. That is where a national audience first saw his nerve. As a sophomore, he helped the eighth-seeded Tar Heels reach the 2022 national title game, including a 28-point performance against Duke in the Final Four.
He spent three seasons at North Carolina before transferring to Arizona. The move gave him a fresh setting under coach Tommy Lloyd and put him at the center of a strong Wildcats program. In 2024, Love won Pac-12 Player of the Year after averaging 18 points per game. In Arizona’s first Big 12 season, he earned first-team all-conference honors. College basketball has always had room for reinvention, which is why eligibility stories around players such as Jaxon Kohler at BYU and Kentucky forward Mark Mitchell draw so much interest.
What made Caleb Love so memorable at Arizona?
Arizona fans remember No. 1 as a volume scorer who could alter a game in a few possessions. In his first Wildcats season, he made 92 three-pointers, one of the highest single-season totals in school history. He also became one of the rare college players to score 1,000 points at two major programs. Those numbers tell part of the story, but the feel of his game mattered just as much. Love played with visible confidence, even after a miss or a rough opening stretch.
His final college game brought that quality into focus. Arizona lost to Duke in the 2025 Sweet 16, but Love scored 35 points and nearly dragged the Wildcats back from a large deficit. The game added another chapter to his long history with Duke, dating to North Carolina’s 2022 Final Four win. That sort of tournament memory is why a college jersey can remain popular long after a player has changed teams. It is similar to the attachment fans feel toward an era-defining shooter such as Klay Thompson, even when the uniform changes.
How did Love reach the NBA after going undrafted?
Love was not selected in the 2025 NBA Draft. Portland gave him a two-way opportunity, which allowed him to work between the Trail Blazers and their G League affiliate, the Rip City Remix. He made the most of it. During his rookie season, he appeared in 49 NBA games and averaged 10.4 points, 2.5 assists, and 2.3 rebounds. His high point was a 26-point game against Golden State.
His G League production was even louder. In 10 appearances for the Remix, Love averaged 24.7 points and 4.6 assists. That gave Philadelphia a clear picture of the skill set it was signing: a guard who has handled large offensive responsibility before and who does not freeze when given a chance. It is a useful reminder that the NBA route is rarely straight. Players such as TyTy Washington have also shown how quickly the search for minutes can cross leagues and countries.
Who are the people around Caleb Love in Philadelphia?
Love joins a Sixers group led by Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey, with other experienced guards competing for touches and playing time. He is a two-way player, so his daily job is simple to describe and hard to do: learn the system, defend consistently, make open shots, and be ready when the regular roster needs help. His first NBA team also gave him a valuable mentor in Portland, where Damian Lillard publicly encouraged the rookie.
Philadelphia has a history with players who arrive through unconventional routes. Former Sixers big man Charles Bassey is one example of a young player who had to prove himself after draft night. Love’s situation is different, but the basic challenge is familiar. He has talent. The question is how many minutes he can turn into dependable NBA production.
Where can fans follow Caleb Love and buy his jersey?
Love has used Instagram under the handle @caleb2love, where fans can find basketball updates and personal posts he chooses to share publicly. For game information, the Philadelphia 76ers and NBA player pages are the cleanest places to check his active status, schedule, and statistics. His No. 9 makes shopping less confusing than it was during the transition from Portland to Philadelphia, though official merchandise stock can change quickly.
For a current jersey, look for Philadelphia 76ers No. 9 Caleb Love gear through official NBA and team retail channels. For a college version, Arizona No. 1 is the jersey tied most closely to his awards and Ring of Honor recognition. Fans comparing young NBA careers may also enjoy following Ace Bailey, Peyton Watson, and Herb Jones, three players whose roles show the many ways a modern wing or guard can grow in the league.
What happens next for Caleb Love?
The immediate task is Philadelphia. A two-way contract creates opportunity, but it also demands consistency. Love has already shown that he can score in bursts, make a crowd notice, and carry the memory of big games into a new locker room. The next step is becoming the player coaches trust on an ordinary Tuesday in January as much as on a loud preseason night.
That is why the No. 9 jersey matters more than a merchandise detail. It marks a new team, a new city, and a chance to turn a college reputation into a sustained professional career. At fotobreak, that is the part of Love’s story worth watching.
People also ask
What number is Caleb Love on the 76ers?
Caleb Love wears No. 9 for the Philadelphia 76ers. He joined Philadelphia on a two-way contract in July 2026.
What number did Caleb Love wear at Arizona?
Caleb Love wore No. 1 at Arizona. That number is tied to his Pac-12 Player of the Year season and his Arizona Ring of Honor recognition.
Did Caleb Love play for North Carolina?
Yes. Love played three seasons for North Carolina before transferring to Arizona. He helped the Tar Heels reach the 2022 national championship game.
Was Caleb Love drafted into the NBA?
No. Love went undrafted in 2025, then signed a two-way deal with Portland. After his rookie season, he signed with the Philadelphia 76ers.