Love and Collison gone: LA Times

by godblesstyus95 on Apr 8, 2008 8:07 PM PDT

I know this isn't exactly a surprise to anyone, but just came across this in the LA Times

Kevin Love and Darren Collison have probably played their last games for UCLA and will make themselves available for the NBA draft, sources close to the players said today.

Both players confirmed their decisions in separate meetings with UCLA Coach Ben Howland on Monday. The sources spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to make an announcement until after Howland holds a season-ending news conference on Wednesday afternoon.

Love, a 6-foot-10, 270-pound center, led the Bruins with averages of 17.5 points and 10.6 rebounds. The freshman was Pacific 10 Conference player of the year, a first-team All-American and most outstanding player of the NCAA regional at Anaheim. Collison, a junior point guard, was a third-team All-American.

Love and Collison are expected to hire agents, which would mean they could not return to UCLA next season.

While I am obviously disappointed, best of luck to these 2 great athletes.

The same article also speculates that Westbrook is likely to go as well:

The Bruins are also expected to lose guard Russell Westbrook, a sophomore. He played opposite Collison but moved to the point when Collison was injured early this season.

One scout projected Westbrook as a possible lottery pick, and the guard's family has indicated that he would probably leave school if expectations were that he would go early. He had a career-high 22 points against Memphis and, at 6-3, 190 pounds, was clearly the one UCLA player physically suited to run and jump and bump with the Tigers.

The end of the same article also seems to suggest that Nestor's nuclear scenario (losing up to 7 of the current players) is a distinct possiblity. Let's hope Howland has some contingency plans in place. 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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I'll believe it when I hear it!!

I'm still holding out that at least one of the 3 comes back!!! (fingers crossed).

by PasadenaBruin on Apr 8, 2008 8:22 PM PDT 0 recs

who knows

no one said they were hiring agents. so they can come back. i personally think westbrook is gone because of his skill/talent. collison has been here "long enough" and it might be good to make room for the new recruits. i do hope love stays because we're still lacking some size

Go Bruins!

by bruinpower on Apr 8, 2008 8:25 PM PDT up 0 recs

It says

DC and Love are hiring agents so they can't come back however the article merely speculates about Russ. Either way, I don't expect any of them to be in a Bruin uniform next November.

by ryebreadraz on Apr 8, 2008 8:26 PM PDT up 0 recs

oops

youre right, skipped that part somehow =(

Go Bruins!

by bruinpower on Apr 8, 2008 8:31 PM PDT up 0 recs

I believe we call that reading with your hear :)

by ryebreadraz on Apr 8, 2008 8:43 PM PDT up 0 recs

heart*

by ryebreadraz on Apr 8, 2008 8:44 PM PDT up 0 recs

Thanks to DC, Love, and Westbrook

We love you guys and give 'em hell in the league next year.

I know it has been said before, but just look at what CBH has done. Great coaching and hard work are the Ben Howland way. Our guards were lightly recruited, but have developed into legitimate first round picks. Just something to think about for the recruits out there...

by Tydides on Apr 8, 2008 8:24 PM PDT 0 recs

A quick thought

I'll miss all three, but if they leave, hey, no worries. As great as they were, I have no doubt our incoming Fantastic Four won't be able to step up and fill the big shoes being left by DC, RW, and KL. Sure, all three are incredible talents, but I don't doubt that under CBH, we're going to be just fine.

Realistically, without DC and RW we're going to be fine. That doesn't mean we should take anything away from them and what they've done while they were here. They have done a fantastic job on the court and representing UCLA.

However, we have some incredible guards coming here next year, and I suspect Jrue, Malcolm, and Jerime will do just fine in the backcourt for us next year (and don't forget, they'll have some help with MR, and maybe JS, back).

Now, I know a lot of people are sweating the loss of KL, especially with LMR graduating. That it'll leave us thin up front. I hope you guys don't kill me for this, but we ended up at the same place with KL as we did without him. Don't get me wrong, I love KL and think he was incredible. But, the simple fact is we got no further in the 2007-08 tourney as we did in the 2006-07 tourney. Yes, KL gave us a much better chance to win every night, but even with him gone, CBH will find a way to win and I have no doubt this team will find itself again in the Final Four.

No one player is UCLA. Not even the greats like Lew and Big Red. Yes, losing KL will hurt.

But, trust in CBH. All is still well in Bruins Nation.

by norcald503 on Apr 8, 2008 8:37 PM PDT 0 recs

As a follow up...

As for the Prince and AA2, like the others, if they leave (and I think that's a big if for both), I'll miss them. Those guys, along with LMR, have always been my favorites: getting the dirty work done down low.

Love 'em both. But, like with DC, RW, and KL, if they leave, we will be fine.

CBH knows what he is doing. And even with the Prince and AA2 gone, we'll still have JK (and if his tourney surge is an indication of things to come, then all the better), Drew Gooden, and Reeves Nelson following the next year.

And let's not forget Stanbeck, a 6'6" 2 or 3. We've had problems with those big guards (Corey Brewer and CDR) and this kid, under CBH, could very well become the answer to that problem.

Sure, we'll be a bit undersized up front, but we'll have a bigger backcourt (Jrue at 6'3", Stanbeck at 6'6", JS at 6'5"), and that seemed to work out fine for Memphis (and to be honest, they should have won it all, if they didn't choke hard in the last 2 minutes).

All is well. CBH is taking us back next season, no matter how it all plays out.

by norcald503 on Apr 8, 2008 8:47 PM PDT up 0 recs

Even in our worst case scenario

Look at the quality of talent that is left. Roll is the only non 4/5 star player that would be left on the roster. Not that stars are everything, but the "average" talent that Howland has brought in creates a very good foundation no matter what happens.

5 Stars
Holiday
Lee

4 Stars
Gordon
Anderson
Stanback
Keefe

3 Stars
Roll

by Tydides on Apr 8, 2008 8:54 PM PDT up 0 recs

Hope

Congrats to all 3 of them. With the amount of money guaranteed to them in the NBA, it would be a shame for them to come back and get an life-ending injury. Just like Afflalo and Farmar, I'll be rooting for them on their respectful NBA teams.

Sure, my selfish thoughts are dwelling on the
possibility of the whole team coming back to prove themselves, but I have to see this through their eyes. Ever since they picked up a basketball, it was their dream to play in the NBA. It is their lifetime goal (for now until they move on up the ladder in defining self-worth). Let them obtain their goal. With the teaching of Howland I'm sure they will respect and thank UCLA for their time here. They will all be rooting inside for UCLA their whole lives. They are Bruins. Whether they were here one year or five, they are life-long Bruins.

But let's see this situation in a different light. We now have an opportunity for our new recruiting class and Stanback to truly show what they have to offer. My senior year next year will not be a failure. I get to see my friend Rick coach the football team and restore order to Sigma Nu and UCLA. I also get to enjoy another year of great Howland basketball as a student.

These two coaches are our generals men. Let them lead us to greatness. We may have lost giant battles lately, but we will still win the war. We are UCLA Bruins. Just saying those 4 letters puts confidence and pride in to my heart.

by teis areteis on Apr 8, 2008 8:39 PM PDT 0 recs

Next season was a rebuild

I expected the team next year to have been a rebuild especially with so little post offense. I was disappointed that UCLA did not win the title, but Howland is slowly building up the program. hopefully more blue-chippers will start to realize the value in what Howland is preaching and not be swayed by other programs that have a lot of 5-star recruits but flamed out like UNC, Duke, etc. As soon as Howland can get the right mix of frontcourt and backcourt talent in Westwood, they'll be fine. Some of these players need to develop their outside shooting this off-season. I expect bigger things from Chace, James, Nikolai, etc...

by UCLA4Life on Apr 8, 2008 8:42 PM PDT 0 recs

If we can get either

Majok or Krys Faber we'll be ok I think. Chace needs to get into gear quickly because he's going to play a lot of minutes next year. Hopefully he'll spend his summer in the Men's Gym and over at Kobe's place in Hollywood(if it's still there) as well as the other guys.

by bruin95 on Apr 8, 2008 8:58 PM PDT 0 recs

Consider the Source

The fishwrap. They have no credibility to me. I'm still trying to double-check their announcement on the end of World War II.

by Fox 71 on Apr 8, 2008 9:14 PM PDT 0 recs

Mark my words

James Keefe will be an all-conference player next year, and we will finish first in the Pac 10 yet again and be a 2 or 3 seed in the dance. I think this will happen even in the "nuclear" scenario. We have a LOT of talent coming in.

by paulucla on Apr 8, 2008 9:14 PM PDT 0 recs

Keefe has the potential

We've all seen it, he could be huge next year. He may need to be. I'm hoping for the same from Stanback as well. There's a reason he was city player of the year.

by Tydides on Apr 8, 2008 9:21 PM PDT up 0 recs

I can't see a 1 or 2 seed

while I have no doubt Howland will get us on track, it will take time. A lot of freshmen will get big minutes and a lot of guys will get more minutes than they have before . That means it'll take a month or two before everyone is comfortable and playing well. The couple games we lose in the 1st month or 2 will keep us from a 1 or 2 seed, but we should be a well oiled machine by tourney time so we can make a run even from a 3 or 4 seed.

by ryebreadraz on Apr 8, 2008 9:34 PM PDT up 0 recs

new dohn report

he said he talked to love's mother and she said "no decision has been made"

i still expect love to leave but apparently he hasn't decided yet

by bruin11 on Apr 8, 2008 9:45 PM PDT 0 recs

What is she supposed to say?

Of course she's going to deny it.

by SuperBruinMan on Apr 8, 2008 10:10 PM PDT up 0 recs

Roll and Keefe will be the new Big Men On Campus

Better start coming up with nicknames now... OC Patrol? Blue Crush? Hairgel Hysterics? The Bros? The Manzeer? Wait, what was I talking about?

by CafeLA on Apr 8, 2008 10:34 PM PDT 0 recs

Actually I expect

Jrue to be the big man on campus...but I wouldn't count out Gordon yet...just caught this video wow he plays big.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=TvNVS7dBvDs

O.A.

by Ollie on Apr 8, 2008 10:38 PM PDT up 0 recs

Thanks for that link

I know it's against high school opposition and captures only his finest moments but man, he sure seems to play aggressively. Love it!

by uclabruin07 on Apr 9, 2008 1:48 AM PDT up 0 recs

Also

Granted it is a highlight reel, but he seems to have very good hands catching the ball on the block.

by Free the 16 on Apr 9, 2008 7:16 AM PDT up 0 recs

Mr. Freesia and I

call James Keefe "Abercrombie" but we haven't figured one out for Michael Roll yet.

by freesia39 on Apr 9, 2008 9:30 AM PDT up 0 recs

Umm...Fitch?

by kidro2001 on Apr 9, 2008 11:40 AM PDT up 0 recs

HAHA

thats classic...Abercrombie and Fitch, sounds like a couple of wedding crashers, or detectives, or a duo that gets in to mischief together.

I kinda love it lol

O.A.

by Ollie on Apr 9, 2008 5:53 PM PDT up 0 recs

Sweet Roll?

He of the sugary shooting touch.

by Bruinut on Apr 10, 2008 9:03 AM PDT up 0 recs

While I think

Keefe's performance against wku was a bit above what we can expect, I think he'll be very important for his defense, hard screens, and understand howland's system, and also some interior scoring.

One guy though that I'll really be excited for if he can start to some fill some expectations is Chace. I think if he can be consistent with his jump shot, it will compliment the great athleticism he already has.

its going to be tough watching us readjust to life without a real interior scoring threat, but I feel like this could be one of the most purely athletic teams in a while. And I hope Howland lets them run free on offense a little bit. I think they have the potential to be a team with 5 guys on the court that can penetrate, get to the hole, and hopefully be more consistent from the outside.

Think about the athleticism of this lineup
Holiday
Lee
Gordon
Stanback
Shipp/(maybe westbrook)/keefe
I've seen Jerime fly a bit too even

O.A.

by Ollie on Apr 8, 2008 10:36 PM PDT 0 recs

In for a big surprise..

..a lot of this press about the three departing may be the Bruin-hating counterpoint to our wishing some or all will stay. If they do leave, then everyone will start writing off UCLA the way they should write off the deflated Memphis team or Kansas or the Florida Gators after their defections.

I got a hunch that we will surprise a few people in the PAC-10 who figure that, just because we don't have Love in the middle, it'll be a cake-walk for them.

I, for one, look forward to handing the returning "Loot" another pair of defeats next year.

God, it's great to be a Bruin!

by whp68 on Apr 9, 2008 6:52 AM PDT 0 recs