Kevin Love is going to be in action inside Pauley Pavilion tonight taking on AA's high school team. Daily News has another profile on the most highly anticipated Bruin recruit since Bill Walton:
Southern California fans will get their first look at the UCLA-bound forward as Lake Oswego plays Centennial of Compton in Pauley Pavilion at approximately 8:30 p.m. today.
A game in Pauley Pavilion has become something of a rite of passage for the top basketball players in the nation. In recent years, LeBron James, Sebastian Telfair and Dwight Howard have come to show off on one of college basketball's most hallowed stages.
There was talk that this year's Golden Boy baller O.J. Mayo would stop by, but instead, it was Love who got the invite.
Love has pulled off a similar coup in the national recruiting service rankings. Mayo had been the consensus No. 1 player in his class since the seventh grade. But Love has improved so much over the summer, some experts have re-thought their position. In his first game this season, Love backed up all the pre-season hype with 38 points, 28 rebounds, seven assists and five blocks.
"We have graded Love as the No. 1 player in the Class of 2007 because we believe he is the most fundamental high school basketball player in the last 25 years," Scouts.com recruiting analyst John Carroll wrote.
Just like other Love articles we have read over last few months (well more like 2 years), this DN article talks about Kevin Love's commitment to fundamentals, something he picked up from his Dad, Stan Love:
A game in Pauley Pavilion has become something of a rite of passage for the top basketball players in the nation. In recent years, LeBron James, Sebastian Telfair and Dwight Howard have come to show off on one of college basketball's most hallowed stages.
There was talk that this year's Golden Boy baller O.J. Mayo would stop by, but instead, it was Love who got the invite.
Love has pulled off a similar coup in the national recruiting service rankings. Mayo had been the consensus No. 1 player in his class since the seventh grade. But Love has improved so much over the summer, some experts have re-thought their position. In his first game this season, Love backed up all the pre-season hype with 38 points, 28 rebounds, seven assists and five blocks.
"We have graded Love as the No. 1 player in the Class of 2007 because we believe he is the most fundamental high school basketball player in the last 25 years," Scouts.com recruiting analyst John Carroll wrote.
He was big for his age and coordinated beyond his years. Stan stressed fundamentals above all else. Ball-handling, shooting, passing, using both hands, defense. It was one reason he gave him the middle name Wesley, as in former NBA great Wes Unseld, who was known for making great outlet passes.
"At a very young age, he taught me to use both hands. I'd always do the George Mikan drill, hook shots from both sides of the basket with either hand," Love recalled.
And obviously lots of folks are already talking about KL going pro. early from UCLA, to which Love had this tantalizing response:
"At a very young age, he taught me to use both hands. I'd always do the George Mikan drill, hook shots from both sides of the basket with either hand," Love recalled.
"After my freshman year, I'll have to assess where I am. If they say I'll be a lottery pick, it'd be hard to walk away from that. But who knows? I tend to fall in love with my teammates and coaches.
"I already have a good relationship with coach Howland. He's been recruiting me since the eighth grade. And I want to win a national championship. If we didn't win my first year, I might want to come back and try again."
Again all that is far away and there is so much hoops to play before we can even think about all that business about going pro early, but still not sure if it can be any more obvious how this kid bleeds blue and gold."I already have a good relationship with coach Howland. He's been recruiting me since the eighth grade. And I want to win a national championship. If we didn't win my first year, I might want to come back and try again."
If you live in Southern California, go out to Westwood tonight, and check this kid out. You can buy tickets online to see Love by going here. I am sure he already feels at home at Pauley. But it'd be good to let him know we cannot wait to see him in blue and gold.
GO BRUINS.