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However, Love's return was followed by a reminder that he's doing so in a much different era: Within an hour, five-star commit Joson Sanon decommitted and  that four-star incoming freshman Jamari Phillips was heading elsewhere.

He’s back ��

— Arizona Basketball (@ArizonaMBB)

Sanon announced on Instagram that he flipped his commitment from Arizona to ASU, while Phillips reportedly is considering USC. Messages for Phillips seeking comment were not returned.

While Sanon leaves the Wildcats without a potentially prolific scoring option off the bench, Love’s decision gives the Wildcats all five players back who were testing the NBA Draft.

Guard KJ Lewis, forward Trey Townsend and wing Anthony Dell'Orso have already publicly exited the draft to play for Arizona next season, while point guard Jaden Bradley is also expected to return. Bradley did not announce he was testing the draft but his name appeared on the league's early entry list, and is likewise expected to be quietly named on the NBA's withdrawal list.

Love announced his decision by posting a video of his highlights from last season to social media, saying would keep working and that "the results will come."

"Wildcat Nation, it's been so amazing the way you welcomed me and surrounded me with love," he said. "No way I could walk away from all of that right now. The show goes on."

Sanon quote-tweeted Love's announcement by adding "LOVE IT," and then announced on Instagram just 20 minutes later that he flipped from UA to ASU. Earlier this month, after talking with Love in Chicago, Sanon tweeted that "big news" is on the way for Arizona. 

Sanon's agent, Derek Malloy, declined to comment on Sanon's decommitment other than to express a comparison to fans in the Boston area where he and Sanon live.

"I grew up in a cursed era of being a Red Sox fan wishing they never let Babe Ruth go to the Yankees," Malloy said. "I feel for the kids in Tucson."

Players testing the draft have until Wednesday at 8:59 p.m. Arizona time to withdraw under NCAA rules if they want to return to college basketball. Bradley did not announce he was testing the draft but his name was on the NBA’s Early Entry list.

While Sanon might have been the Wildcats' first perimeter player off the bench,  the Wildcats have been expected to start Love alongside Bradley and KJ Lewis on the perimeter. The Wildcats are expected to start sophomore Motiejus Krivas at center and Townsend at power forward, with five-star freshman forward Carter Bryant among the key reserves.

Named the Pac-12 Player of the Year after leading the Wildcats to the Pac-12 regular-season championship, Love entered the NBA Draft pool in mid-April while keeping open the option of returning to college basketball. He was not invited to the G League Combine, indicating he faced long odds to be drafted but did compete in the G League Elite Camp.

In two five-on-five G League camp scrimmages over the weekend, Love averaged 8.5 points while shooting 31.3% from the field and hitting 3 of 10 3-pointers. He also averaged 2.0 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 2.5 steals and 2.0 turnovers, posting a plus-10 in his first game and a minus-2 in the second.

Love recorded agility and speed times that were competitive among guards, while standing 6-foot-2.75 without shoes, which is consistent with the 6-4 that Arizona has listed him at (UA measures players with shoes on and rounds up).

Among other measurements, Love had a a 6-foot-8.75 wingspan, a 9.75-inch hand length and a 33.5-inch maximum vertical leap that ranked sixth among the 12 players listed as shooting guards.

Because he wasn’t invited to the NBA Combine, Love appeared to face long odds to get drafted or sign a two-way contract worth more than $500,000. But this spring's NIL marketplace suggests a player of Love’s caliber could earn roughly the equivalent of a two-way deal if he returned to Arizona.

However, Love indicated in an interview with CBS during the G League Elite Camp that the prospect of a big NIL payday during a fifth season of college basketball was not a foremost consideration. A native of St. Louis, Love arrived at UA in the summer of 2023 after playing three seasons at North Carolina.

"I never really was the type to go back for money," Love told CBS. "I didn't transfer to go get more money. I wanted the best situation for me and I wanted to be on a good team that had aspirations to win on the highest level and winning a national championship.

"That went into my decision to go to Arizona and if I chose to go back, it wouldn't be for the money. It would be to expand my game and elevate my game and compete for a national championship."

In the CBS story, Love credited Arizona for helping improve his efficiency and creating a good environment. He shot 33.2% from 3-point range while averaging 18.0 points, though he averaged 11.5 points and shot just 20% from 3 over Arizona's final six games.

"Coach (Tommy) Lloyd helped me expand my game and grow my game," Love said. "Playing with my teammates, they made it so much fun. It was a great overall year. I definitely grew in areas that I didn't at UNC, so I'm grateful for Arizona and that whole community."

Arizona now has 11 scholarship players lined up for 2024-25, two short of the maximum allowed.

The Wildcats' tentative 2024-25 roster:

Player, Class, Pos., Ht., Wt., Hometown

Tobe Awaka, Jr., 6-8, 250, Hyde Park, N.Y.

Jaden Bradley, Jr., G, 6-3, 200, Rochester, N.Y.

Carter Bryant, Fr,. F, 6-8, 225, Riverside, Calif.

Anthony Dell’Orso, Jr., F, 6-6, 190 Melbourne, Australia

Motiejus Krivas, So., C, 7-2, 260, Siauliai, Lithuania

KJ Lewis, So., G, 6-4, 205, El Paso

Caleb Love, Sr,. 6-4, 205, St. Louis

Conrad Martinez, So., G, 6-0, 165, Granollers, Spain

Emmanuel Stephen, Fr,. C, 7-0, 215, Lagos, Nigeria

Trey Townsend, Sr., F, 6-6, 228 Oxford, Mich.

Henri Veesaar, Jr., F, 7-0, 225, Tallinn, Estonia