kevin-love-hd.jpeg

42 - Kevin Love

6-9, 255 Power Forward
UCLA Freshman
Birthday
09/07/88 (35.6 yrs)
Hometown
Lake Oswego, OR
High School
Lake Oswego
Team Site Profile
2007 Statistics
Athleticism
8
Size
8
Defense
6
Strength
9
Quickness
5
Leadership
8
Jump Shot
9
NBA Ready
8
Rebounding
7
Potential
8
Post Skills
9
Intangibles
8
93 Overall:

NBA Comparison: Wes Unseld

Borko Popic – 5/19/2008

Strengths: Incredibly strong and gifted big man with a basketball IQ that is off the charts Has a great mix of physicality and finesse to his game … Shows maturity well beyond his years … Combines advanced post moves with great patience, resulting in a lethal package … Possesses a great knack for establishing low-post position, using pin downs and duck-ins to get his defender on his back and out of position … His great hands not only allow him to catch difficult passes in traffic, but they also provide him with a feathery soft touch around the basket In addition to his ability to deliver the ball at bullet speed, his vision and willingness to pass out of the post are unparalleled for a player his age, making him one of the best passing big men at any level … He showed that he can consistently knock down the college 3, with continued work he should have no problems extending his range even further … His form is very fluid and for a player his size he gets great elevation … Possibly the most intriguing aspect of his skill set is his in-between midrange game … The ability to shot-fake, jab and put the ball on the floor to get by lunging defenders is something that he has developed nicely this year and it could become his go-to game at the next level … He has a nice pull-up of the dribble and is very adept at finishing difficult shots such as fade-aways and stepbacks under pressure … His wide shoulders create space in the paint, giving him a tremendous advantage on the boards … Great positioning and understanding of assignments make him a reliable team defender …

Weaknesses: At 6-9, he is undersized and he also lacks great athleticism to offset this size deficiency … Was not in the greatest shape this season, often being the last man up the court and getting winded very quickly … Needs to work on fitness, could stand to lose some weight and put on more muscle … Weight and speed could always be an issue, as even when "in shape" he lacks great speed in the floor or laterally … Was able to get away with overpowering opponents in college, yet questions remain how his game translates against bigger, quicker and more athletic opponents at the next level … At times this season he struggled getting his shot off against taller defenders, more specifically the Lopez twins, Brook and Robin, of Stanford, who forced him into off-balance shots and uncharacteristic turnovers … His one-on-one arsenal in the post is a bit predictable, as he almost always operates on the right block and prefers to turn to his left shoulder often finishing with a right hook … He gets into trouble when trying to do too much off the dribble because quicker defenders are able to slide over and force him into turning the ball over … Defensively he will have trouble matching up as he is undersized and because he has less than ideal lateral quickness … His lack of speed will make it extremely difficult for him to play for a running style of team …

Aran Smith – 7/20/2006

Strengths: Bruising bigman with a great basketball IQ and feel for the game … Extremely adept on the block. His post skills are at an NBA level right now … He showed the ability to create shots against a great shot blocker (Greg Oden) at the Reebok Big Time tournament in 2005. Really creates space well with his size and strength … A dominant rebounder, hits the glass hard, using tenacity, strength and athleticism … A fierce competitor. Has a passion and toughness to his game that so many big men lack … Really understands the game, with great vision and passing ability … One of those rare bigmen that makes those around him better … Has great touch around the basket … A great athlete, his body might give someone the wrong impression at first glance, he has solid leaping ability and agility … He is extremely adept at sealing his man on post deliveries … Has great footwork and uses position and leverage well for rebounds … Long wingspan allows him to play bigger than his 6-9 size … Outlets the ball extremely well from the post, finding players with perfect full court passes … A great kid with personality and star potential on the NBA level …

Weaknesses: Thick legs anchor him to the floor to a degree, especially with regard to foot speed and transition game … Has decent quickness, but lacks great speed in the open floor … Better in the half court set than full court but can get up and down the floor when he needs to … Has had a few arthroscopic knee surgeries in his high school career, but hasn’t shown any lingering affects from it …

Notes: Fame appears to run in his genes, his uncle Mike Love was a member of The Beach Boys … father, Stan Love, played two seasons each for the Baltimore Bullets (1971-72) and Los Angeles Lakers (1973-74).

YouTube Clip – 6/3/2008

Facebooktwitterredditmail