Three years of Love for Bruins?
Is K-Love good for more than one and done?
There are people who think so because they are of the opinion that he will not be such a success in the NBA.
In fact, I know a long-time basketball observer who is a personal friend of Pete Newell and has helped at his Big Man Camps who thinks Love is not a first rounder.
Not only does he think he is not going in the first round, but he thinks that he will stick around for three years.
Whoo Hoo! I sure hope he is right, but I don't know.
Here are the observations that I would love to hear your takes on:
*Love is not 6-10, but only 6-8 and a half. He is huge, but not strong and needs to replace some bulk with muscle.
*While Love has dominated many inside players in the Pac-10, my friend said he would not have similar success against real NBA centers who can actually jump and have some athleticism. The Lopez twins and Brockman are not very athletic and don't jump well either.
*Said friend says he would play forward in the NBA and challenged me to think about what would happen if he tried to guard, say, Lamar Odom.
*He asked me to name a big white guy who was ever drafted highly who turned out to be a huge star.
*He said Love lacks the impeccable timing to block shots that Walton had, even though he is often compared to him.
*Finally, he says he needs to lose 10 pounds of fat and add 10 pounds of muscle and then he could be a middle second rounder in a couple years.
What do you think? Is my friend full of it or does he have some good points? I sure hope some NBA people share his opinion so that Love will stick around and play for us a while longer.
This is a FanPost and does not necessarily reflect the views of BruinsNation's (BN) editors. It does reflect the views of this particular fan though, which is as important as the views of BN's editors.
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43 comments
Comments
If hes a top 10 pick, he's gone
by joeb on Jan 29, 2008 10:04 PM PST reply actions 0 recs
a little of both
But I just can't respect anyone who talks about a "tall white guy". Compare player's games, not their skin color. Love is amazingly similar to Elton Brand, black or white.
-and andrew bogut (white), former #1 pick, is in his 5th year averaging 14 and 9. Not huge numbers, but top 5 center #'s; only behind Howard, Yao, Chandler, and Kaman. (Amare and Duncan aren't centers) Hes not a star just b/c he plays in milwalkee.
Lamar Odom plays the 3, not the 4. Love's D needs work, but name a college freshman that plays lockdown D. Even harder, a big man?
Robin Lopez isn't athletic? What is he talking about? He's rated as one of the most athletic big men in the country.
And the real question that scouts have to answer is does Love have the skills to play in the NBA? There's no question about that. He'll be a first rounder.
That being said, it would be awsome if he stuck around for 3 years...
by bruin11 on Jan 29, 2008 10:11 PM PST reply actions 0 recs
that's pathetic...
haha but yeah, bynums numbers are pretty even with boguts.
by bruin11 on Jan 30, 2008 4:23 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs
Duncan a PF?
by jaffa on Jan 30, 2008 1:16 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs
Robinson
by kidro2001 on Jan 30, 2008 2:35 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs
Hm
by jaffa on Jan 30, 2008 5:15 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs
wrong...
by dustball on Jan 31, 2008 1:26 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs
Dont forget Bynum!
Sorry, but had to rep the Lakers.
On the topic of Love, hes DEFINITELY a sure-fire 1st rounder. Hell, Mark Madsen was a 1st rounder.
But the NBA has changed somewhat and a lot of the PFs these days are Long and Quick, a la Odom, Marion, KG. Btw, Odom plays much more 4 in the Tri and than the 3.
Love is a a tweener, if he slims down and becomes automatic from 15-20 ft. He is set for the NBA. All IMHO.
by kidro2001 on Jan 30, 2008 2:32 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs
bynum and lakers
they'll be swept again by the suns or some other soft team again this year.
by stephons on Jan 30, 2008 3:12 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs
Bitter Queens Fan Alert
by Tydides on Jan 30, 2008 3:37 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs
I think it will come down to...
2 - What he is actually projected at when the time comes. He certainly doesn't have the athleticism necessary to play the 4, nor does he have the height to be an elite prospect at the 5 in the NBA. He's definitely got enough skill to play either, so perhaps someone will take a chance on him regardless (if the Kings are in the lottery, they're a lock to take a shot on another white big man with fundamentals...). It's not likely he'll have peaked after his Freshman year either, so I doubt coming back has much of a chance of hurting his draft stock (that seems to happen more to elite athletes that continue to show no progress).
Those being the two biggest factors I see (for most players, not just Love), I think it's a crap shoot at this point. We don't know where we'll finish, but a NC is a realistic goal. We also don't know where he'll be projected at year-end, it depends a lot on who comes out, who boosts their stock in the tourney, etc. I'm certainly crossing my fingers for a NC and Love being projected as a late first-rounder who could improve with another year of work.
by cabz on Jan 29, 2008 10:35 PM PST reply actions 0 recs
Love not a first-rounder?
by UCLA4Life on Jan 29, 2008 11:01 PM PST reply actions 0 recs
i agree, in theory
With all of that said, the real issue is the current NBA. As we stand today, there are virtually no true centers left. Guys like Dwight Howard, Amare, Duncan, etc. have switched to center, leaving the PF position as more of a second SF. This creates a good situation for a more power-type player like K Love.
To me he's Farmar + hype. Solid player, definitely a good choice for an NBA team, but not an immediate NBA star. If I were drafting, I would be willing to take him late-1st round, no earlier. But if UCLA goes all the way with Love at the helm, he will vault himself into the upper echelon, NBA skills aside.
We love Love. The way I see it, his fate w/ regard to UCLA lies in our final game of the post-season.
by jjreicher on Jan 29, 2008 11:21 PM PST reply actions 0 recs
really?
by dustball on Jan 31, 2008 1:20 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs
If he's never an all star
by Dodger Hater on Feb 1, 2008 9:40 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs
Because
For example: 2000 NBA Draft
by SuperBruinMan on Feb 2, 2008 12:25 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs
Not much of an NBA fan
Turkolu (or however it's spelled) is the only guy who has any notoriety.
Were these the best basketball players available in 2000? And is it mandatory that teams draft players? Fans talk about some of the dumb moves that Steinbrenner has made over the years, but it looks like there is an entire league full of Steinbrenners, willing to shell out loads of bucks for guys who never produced?
Question - how many of these guys are still in the NBA?
by Fox 71 on Feb 2, 2008 6:52 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs
Right but...
Most people's reaction on this thread are NOT that he would be a superstar, just a pretty good starter.
Certainly there are plenty of first-rounders who are flops. When are the GM's going to learn?
by Dodger Hater on Feb 2, 2008 1:42 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs
Enjoying this year, hoping for another
I've always been very aware of the huge leap many good players in college make between their freshman and sophomore years - obviously RW is a handy case in point. I'm trying not to be the fan here, but an objective, long time observer of players and the game - and I really believe at least one more year would be good for Kevin's conditioning, skill development, and thus his value in the draft. His basketball IQ is remarkable already, and with the types of teachers he has, Coach Howland most definitely included, he should be able to really solidify his stock.
I just don't see him as a guy looking to bag one good contract and not play much. If he keeps working, I believe he's capable of being a Charles Barkley type and enjoying a good pro career.
So, I think two years would be smart for Kevin Love and a boon to Bruin fans, regardless of what happens in March. I hope he feels that way after this season!
Jim
by bruinjim on Jan 30, 2008 12:25 AM PST reply actions 0 recs
Barkley
I won't speculate on his returning, just that I certainly hope so....
by haywood nighttrain on Jan 30, 2008 10:01 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs
Barkley
by cabz on Jan 30, 2008 7:22 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs
So true
by bornagainbruin on Jan 31, 2008 11:55 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs
I've heard that off the court, he is very nice
by bruinbabe2000 on Feb 1, 2008 12:21 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs
One other factor...
- because I doubt he'll have the same chance at immortality in the NBA.
- He has the money to stick around and flirt with the college game.
In that situation, I personally would stick around and try to set some records.
by jatteratious on Jan 30, 2008 1:40 AM PST reply actions 0 recs
your friend is full of it
big white guys- Andrew Bogut, Dirk Nowitzki, Bargnani, Darko.. or do international stars not count. Even Spencer Hawes (not extremely athletic) was drafted really high.
Love has his limitations he's not 7 ft, closer to 6'8, 6'9. He won't match up well with Amare Stoudamire or Dwight Howard. A comparison I think of when you say 2nd rounder is Carlos Boozer. People said the same thing about him (short, not fast), now he's on Team USA and at the All-Star level.
All the mock drafts have love 10-20 range. Sounds reasonable. I hope he doesn't go. His incentives to stay could be that he likes college, his dad played in the nba so his family doesn't need him to go right away for financial reasons, he can move up to the lottery if he stays another year or two improves his quickness and becomes more consistent in outside shooting.
by stephons on Jan 30, 2008 6:36 AM PST reply actions 0 recs
To be honest
"big white guys- Andrew Bogut, Dirk Nowitzki, Bargnani, Darko.. or do international stars not count. Even Spencer Hawes (not extremely athletic) was drafted really high."
Bogut: 7 feet tall. Nowitzki: 7 feet tall. Bargnani: 7 feet tall. Darko: 7 feet tall. Hawes: 7 feet tall.
As the old saying goes, "You can't teach tall." I am very convinced Kevin Love is likely no more than 6'8.5" and may not even be that tall. He's not really a "big white guy," at his size he's a 4. But he lacks the athleticism of the majority of the NBA's power forwards. He probably will go 10-20 because of his skillset.
But he's very much like Hawes, in that when scouts look at him they don't see a ton of upside. What you see with Love is probably what you're going to get. Glen Davis, of LSU, is a pretty good analogy for Love (in his junior season before getting drafted Davis averaged 17.7 points and 10.4 rebounds, very similar to Love's 17.3 and 11.3) - and he went early 2nd round. Love's a bit younger and more skilled, true - hence his higher likely position. But at the end of the day, it's unlikely the NBA will add to Love's basketball IQ or increase the size of his skillset, as those are the source of his success to date.
He might choose to return for a soph season only if he believes the year lost in the NBA is made up for by an increase in fitness (S&C program, and just growing into his body like everybody does as they enter their 20s). Though as somebody mentioned above, the desire to join a winning team might mean he leaves this season, as he's likely to end up drafted towards the late parts of the 1st, meaning he'll end up with a winner (see: Afflalo on the Pistons).
I hope he stays. I don't think he has much to gain if he does, honestly, with regards to his draft position. And I certainly hope that at the end of the year he's trying to decide whether or not he wants to defend his NCAA title. One can only hope! :)
by Underbruin on Jan 30, 2008 7:05 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs
your right about the height issue
by stephons on Jan 30, 2008 8:48 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs
College Life,
by Dodger Hater on Jan 30, 2008 12:19 PM PST reply actions 0 recs
Carlos
Love reminds me of Nick Collinson on Seattle except a couple of inches shorter but the same kind of game. Both play hard have nice post games and are good around the basket. And they both weigh about the same too. Love though is a better passer.
by abby8065 on Jan 30, 2008 12:39 PM PST reply actions 0 recs
Degree?
by schumd on Jan 30, 2008 5:50 PM PST reply actions 0 recs
nba is full of it
We can count on one hand the number of NBA players concerned with positioning. Too many players watch the action then try to use their superior athleticism to make plays. How many power forwards exactly can shoot like him? As he has proved against Hardin and Lopez he is difficult to get wound up against to block his shot.
If he continues to improve his skills and gains some more strength and mobility with some weight loss he will be a beast and any NBA team who passes on him are going to prove as usual why the teams in the lottery continue to stink and the teams that get Kevin Love in the 20s continue to dominate. As skilled as he is I think he will continue to improve both physically and technically, but I am crossing my fingers that the so-called NBA experts don't recognize a potentially great player when they see one.
by Penny2i on Jan 31, 2008 2:25 PM PST reply actions 0 recs
1 more thing
by Penny2i on Jan 31, 2008 2:28 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs
Ben Howland and Love
Turning to the other most likely early out, I hope that Darren Collison looks at this injury-riddled year as a step back to being NBA ready. I would love to see him at full speed for one more full year at UCLA.
Does anybody else remember the Howland interview ?
by islandbruin on Jan 31, 2008 4:07 PM PST reply actions 0 recs
Oregon center Leunen expossed a weakness.
Love is very similar to Don Maclean. There is not a defensive position he can cover in the NBA. Too small to cover a center and too slow defensively to cover 3's or 4's.
NBA is a game of match ups and one on one play. Teams will run isolations for the guy Love is trying to cover.
My friends all laughed when I said Ed O' and Toby Bailey would not be good NBA players.
by mr havercamp on Feb 1, 2008 4:52 AM PST reply actions 0 recs
You are correct
Don't you wish Ed O' had Howland to teach him defense? It pained me to see him not do well in the NBA, he was such a great guy. I was never too fond of Toby though, he was kind of an arrogant jerk.
by tasser10 on Feb 1, 2008 1:33 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs
You're underestimating Love's NBA potential
I'm also not too worried about his jump shot. He doesn't do badly at threes now and that's only going to improve. His excellent free-throw shooting is an additional indicator that he has the touch to be a good shooter.
That said, he would do well to stay until he reached a developmental plateau with Howland's coaching. As long as he's progressing and is in no immediate need of the money, he probably should enjoy these precious years. Basketball will never be as much fun in the pros as it is in college.
by Chandler on Feb 2, 2008 2:52 AM PST reply actions 0 recs
This morning on "Game Day"
Second, they mentioned that he may not be ready to carry a bottom NBA team. Now, I don't really follow the NBA, but I do think it would be incredibly hard for a 19 year-old to carry the weight of a team, no matter how talented his is.
Then again, I thought MJD and Jordan Farmar made mistakes going pro early, and I happily feast on the crow they are serving me.
by bruinbabe2000 on Feb 2, 2008 3:27 PM PST reply actions 0 recs
I am not saying you are wrong about Farmar
by Dodger Hater on Feb 2, 2008 4:18 PM PST reply actions 0 recs
Disclaimer:
I guess the fact that he is not crashing and burning is enough to make me eat crow, but maybe it's too early to tell.
by bruinbabe2000 on Feb 2, 2008 6:12 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs
For a second year player
Forget about crashing and burning, he is showing great potential and delivering on it, and now he is two years closer to the end of his Rookie contract and the "big money" than he would have been had he stayed. It sucks for the Bruins, but Farmar made the right choice, and as a Laker fan as well, at least the Bruins' loss is kind of my gain as well.
by Tydides on Feb 2, 2008 10:57 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs
Fair enough
by Dodger Hater on Feb 2, 2008 8:58 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

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