Love's Decision (to Leave) All But Official

by Nestor on Apr 14, 2008 4:08 AM PDT Comment 23 comments

Dohn reports this as all but official. The announcement could come on Wed. Again, no surprise here:

The long weekend retreat to Oregon nearly over and the discussions with his family nearly complete, UCLA freshman center Kevin Love is ready to declare his intensions to forego his final three seasons of eligibility for the NBA, according to sources.

Love is expected to announce his decision this week, with one source targeting Wednesday as the announcement day.

Messages left on Love's cell phone were not returned.

The decision was expected, and anticipated from the moment Love stepped on campus last summer. His father, Stan, declined comment Sunday night.

The move was cemented when UCLA coach Ben Howland told Love during a meeting last week on campus that NBA teams projected Love to be taken as high as fourth, and he was virtually guaranteed of being in the top 14 picks. Also in the same report DC is expected to be gone. From what I hear he along with KL are going to hire agents. So there will be no chance for them coming back. However, the situation around RW is still a little unclear (although my gut tells me he is gone and I am going to assume he is gone because I don’t want to be set up for a disappointment) while LRMAM and Shipp will test the NBA waters: Also, sophomore guard Russell Westbrook was scheduled to meet with Howland late last week and continues to lean toward putting his name in the NBA draft, according to sources. However, it is unclear whether he will hire an agent and remain in the draft, or have his status evaluated before deciding whether or not to return for his junior season.

Howland said if Westbrook returns and Collison leaves, Westbrook would be the starting point guard next season.

Also, power forward Luc Richard Mbah a Moute and wing Josh Shipp, both juniors, were favoring putting their names in the NBA draft but not signing with agents, sources said. That would allow them to have their draft status evaluated, but return for their senior seasons if they are not happy with their draft projections. Again none of this should be a surprise to anyone here.

GO BRUINS.

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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Ahh man...

There was always that shred of hope. Well best of luck in the next level Kevin, I'm glad I have a few games on my Tivo to look back at.

Go UCLA!

by madmaxucla on Apr 14, 2008 6:33 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Shocker

by Ryan Rosenblatt on Apr 14, 2008 7:29 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Lorenzo Mata

seems to have signed with Excel Sports Management. Well, according to Facebook anyhow. Good luck to all our outgoing Bruins!

by pocho on Apr 14, 2008 8:21 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

I think it will be very interesting to see ...

where Love ends up and how he does in the NBA.

I think he has a lot of potential, but is going to need the right team and the right system to really show what he can do.

Go Bruins

by Achilles on Apr 14, 2008 8:21 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Taylor King Headed to 'Nova

According to ESPN:

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/news/story?id=3345570

by charnaw on Apr 14, 2008 9:24 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Good for King

I hope he's happy there, gets all the playing time he craves.

by Htse005 on Apr 15, 2008 11:27 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Nestor, are you serious?

You're reporting Love is all but gone based on, of all people, Doh! Maybe on his way to his new team, Kevin could stop off in Seattle and talk to Coach Walker. Accoring to what I recall, Doh! solemnly had Coach Walker leaving for Washington.

And look what Doh! has as his sources. The first paragraph references, but does not quote, "sources," but does not name them. The second paragraph references, but again does not quote, another (or is it the same) "source." The third paragraph references messages which were left on Love's cell phone which were not answered. The fourth paragraph is Stan Love, who declined comment. The final paragraph is a conversation between Coach Howland and Love which Doh! doesn't even bother attributing to anyone (he doesn't say he was there or that sources were there or anything of the kind.)

Doh! may be right on all this. A broken clock is right twice a day. But based on his record, I would not believe Doh! if he told me that it was daytime outside. After all, he has a 50-50 chance at being right about that, too.

by Fox 71 on Apr 14, 2008 11:36 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Sources

Probably confirmed using the same source the LAT used, or three wealthy and influential alumni.

While almost all of us are expecting KL to confirm that he has decided to leave at some point this week, I think we should wait for him to say it himself - or for someone with a better track record than the LAT or Doh! to say it.

by cabz on Apr 14, 2008 12:15 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Actually..

..Dohn has a better than 50-50 chance of being correct about daylight outside if we are in the Northern Hemisphere (which we are) and between the vernal and autumnal equinoxes (as we are now) and depending upon his lat/lon and..

..but your other assertions are correct. While lawyers are the butt of a lot of derision, the area of law does strive admirably for accurate and precise use of the language -- something that blown-out, bourbon-sopping sports columnists often ignore.

(Strike that, I have no evidence that Dohn drinks bourbon.)

God, it's great to be a Bruin!

by whp68 on Apr 14, 2008 12:21 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I Don't Want To Admit It's Over Yet......

Let me bask in it for five more minutes..... We have a top notch big man. God how long has it been?

Is it too late to stage some sort of rally on campus? I mean how big of a lock for #1 would we be with K-Love? Can't we stack the deck just once?

After all that douche in North Carolina came back.

by alcor805 on Apr 14, 2008 2:27 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

KLove owes us little, or nothing

He and his cohorts did all they could, restored Pauley's prestige and revived UCLA's once sullied mystique in so many thrilling triumphs this past season.

Follow your heart, Kevin. Soar high, may there always be wind beneath your wings !

We will forever be proud of you and your buddies.

by Htse005 on Apr 15, 2008 11:36 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Prestige and mystique

were all firmly revived and intact before Love made his 1st basket. Back to back Pac-10 championships and Final Fours (before Love arrived) certainly speaks for themselves.

Love had a great year and gave us a memorable ride through the tournament, but it was just ONE YEAR, and in my mind that in itself puts him far down the list of all-time Bruin greats to play at Pauley.

You are correct in that Love owes us Bruin fans little or nothing. On the flip side of the coin, do we Bruin fans owe anything to former Bruins playing in the NBA?

The Bruins I care about most are the ones lacing them up at Pauley come November.

"You don't make it to the Final Four three straight times for no reason..Obviously coaching has something to do with it." Darren Collison

by godblesstyus95 on Apr 15, 2008 2:40 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Let me just add

I don't mean to sound bitter about Love leaving after one year. I just haven't bought into all of this unconditional love and support that many of us give to our early-NBA entrants.

I may be labeled as selfish, but since when did staying in college become such an untenable and unreasonable choice? (Okay, if you're set to make $100 million a la Beasley or Rose, then college is unreasonable) I am also of the mindset that, when it comes to a having a successful and stable financial future, UCLA has done as much, or maybe more, for these kids than they have done for UCLA. And for that, they owe UCLA little or nothing?

I can't honestly say if I were in Love's shoes I'd do anything differently. I'm just saying that, as a Bruin fan, we have a right to stand up for our own interests as fans just as much as the players do for their own interests. It's been a long 13 years since our last championship...

Okay, end of rant.

"You don't make it to the Final Four three straight times for no reason..Obviously coaching has something to do with it." Darren Collison

by godblesstyus95 on Apr 15, 2008 3:15 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

No, you're not bitter and I quite

understand your feelings at this point.

Howland singlehandedly restored everything so thrilling about UCLA basketball. KLove & company merely perpetuated the luster. That's true too.

Blame it on NCAA for allowing underclassmen to turn pro,which stemmed from the lawsuit brought by some guy whose name escapes me now, plus the mega$$$$ NBA franchises perenially dangle before these youngsters, ever more so polished, skilled and NBA ready talentwise than previous generations.

Sure, we recruited them, coached them and what not. But it's a two way street when it comes to their decision to stay or not.

They have their own interest and concerns too, based on their own needs independent of UCLA's, and the rights accorded them. I very much like to see KLove & company stay and, together with Holiday & company, rampage through the regular season and tournament games to be the perfect champions this time next year too. But sometimes, it's the reality of the situation, rather than our own sentimental perception that we need to accept and be contented with.

That's why I said let them follow their hearts. Soar high and mighty. We'll always remember them well.

by Htse005 on Apr 15, 2008 8:13 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

No, we don't owe

the former Bruins anything either. The allegiance, support is mutual, voluntary, and goodwill based.

I won't look at them any differently whether they stay all four years or just one. I am mighty proud of their achievements on behalf of Pauley during their stay.

If not for NCAA's one and done stipulation, we might not ever have KLove's footprints on campus even. Let them exercise their option and follow their hearts. I won't cry and whine about something we all know stinks, hurt the college games but cannot do anything about.

by Htse005 on Apr 15, 2008 8:23 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Agreed

Howland was the architect, and Jordan Farmar and Arron Afflalo were the foundation of the program's rejuvenation. I will always be thankful for Love's contribution's this year, and I appreciated him saying the right things at the right time, but I wouldn't say he had a bigger impact than Farmar or Afflalo. Best of luck to Kevin though, and hopefully he lands on a team that isn't expecting a star but could use a valuable contributor. I'm afraid that if does get drafted high, the expectations will be so immense that he'll be labeled a "bust" if he isn't an all-star.

by ishXdavid on Apr 16, 2008 11:39 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Dohn is wrong again

Love said today that Dohn was wrong and that he's yet to decide.

"I haven't decided yet," the Bruins big man told FOXSports.com on Monday. "I still have some holes to fill on the whole thing, but I should know by the end of the week."

He also says that he won't know until at least Thursday which means we have to wait until the end of the week to find out what we already know.

by Ryan Rosenblatt on Apr 14, 2008 3:29 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Holes to fill?

What holes would he possibly have to fill if he were going to stay? The only thing I can think of is some type of insurance policy, but I would be shocked if he didn't already have something in place this past season.

Sounds like he's as good as gone, not that it comes as any surprise.

by cabz on Apr 14, 2008 4:56 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

"I haven't decided yet"

is NBA-speak for "I'll declare when I'm good and ready...leave me alone"

"You don't make it to the Final Four three straight times for no reason..Obviously coaching has something to do with it." Darren Collison

by godblesstyus95 on Apr 14, 2008 4:37 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

My interpretation as well.

Sure, it is possible that he is still weighing the options, considering playing another year w/insurance, or so I would like to think.

Insurance of the sort that Love would require to play next year is darn expensive: Joakim Noah's policy from 2 years ago cost his family $189,000 for 1 year. Does Kevin love being at UCLA that much, or do his parents respect his possible desire to stay in school that much?

by bruinhoo on Apr 14, 2008 10:34 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Holes...

Could be; does he obtain an agent? Does he go after and insurance policy and come back? I mean, he's a pretty good kid and I just don't see him making everyone hang in limbo if he's truly gone for sure. Maybe wishful thinking... Back to your regularly scheduled program...

Go UCLA!

by madmaxucla on Apr 14, 2008 6:41 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

If you ask me...

This is K-Love's way of thumbing his nose to all the media that keeps trying to prematurely break news of what we all feel is inevitable. Doh! reports that he is going pro and Love responds that he has not made his decision yet. Another source reports that he will make his decision on Wednesday. Love says that he will not announce his decision before Thursday. Hahahahahahaha! Great job, K-Love! Way to show up all of these no-talent hacks!

GO BRUINS!

by rgalloucla on Apr 14, 2008 8:29 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs