Welter: Caleb Love plays for 'Papa' at NCAA Tournament
Posted March 25, 2022 4:34 p.m. EDT
Updated March 25, 2022 5:54 p.m. EDT
Some players hide from big moments, Caleb Love embraces them. He's confident because he knows he's not alone.
"In the moments I'm never scared of anything," Love said. "He wasn't scared of anything, so I just take that with me. Every time I step on the court, I fear nobody."
Love learned to be fearless from his grandfather, Benny Shelby, whom he affectionately calls "Papa."
"He was my backbone.He was like another father," Love said. "He was there all the time. He lived right up the road in Kansas City. I would always go there throughout the summer. He would always come to my games and stuff like that."
Love grew up in St. Louis. He has leaned on his Papa's lessons during his sophomore season at UNC. He felt him with him when he scored 14 points in the final two and a half minutes of regulation and overtime versus Syracuse. Love's clutch three in the final seconds of regulation helped keep Carolina's NCAA Tournament hopes alive.
"After I stepped up and made that shot, I thanked him," Love said. "I always thank God because God put me in position, but I feel like he was with me."
Love has dedicated this season to his Papa after getting a call from his mother last summer that he won't soon forget.
"She was like, 'Papa, he gone,'" Love remembered. "I kind of just paused and didn't say nothing. After that I kind of broke down."
Shelby died on Aug. 10, 2021. He had suffered a heart attack a couple years ago and was in the hospital battling heart complications.
"It made me realize life is short," Love said. "You never know who is next or when your time will come so you have to go out there and play your hardest and do whatever you've got to do. Don't take nothing for granted."
When Love walks onto the court, you'll see him point to the sky.
"That's to him," Love said. "I always say, 'I love you Papa.' Before the game I just talk to him, let him know I'm going to make him proud."
Before each NCAA Tournament game, he's worn a sweatshirt that his mother made which has a picture of Love and Shelby on it. The picture is from when Love signed to play at North Carolina.
"That was a special moment for me," Love said. "Just for him to take his time to drive down and come see me accomplish that goal that he always wanted for me. He wanted to see me go to college and he got to do that."
Shelby isn't able to see Love play in the NCAA Tournament in person, but Love believes he's watching. He wants to win a national championship for him.
"I feel like he didn't want me to stop," Love said. "I'm here now, you know, he's with me."
