Post by zeropointzero on Oct 18, 2010 22:15:31 GMT -5
Kevin Love
Age: 18
Height: 6'9''
Weight: 240
Position: PF/C
School: Lake Oswego HS
Committed to: Oregon
Inside = B-
Outside = C+
Handling = C+
Defense = C
Rebounding = B
Potential = A
Usually the Rivals 100 is littered with elite athletes still learning the game, so that makes it even more surprising a 6'9'' white big man with conditioning issues finds himself the 6th overall player in the 2007 HS class. But Kevin Love isn't the typical 5 star prospect. Usually the "fundamentally sound, makes up for lack of athleticism" tag gets placed upon 4 year seniors, not 5 star super-recruits. So are his fundamentals that impressive, his basketball IQ so high it makes up for his paltry vertical and lack of foot speed? Quite frankly, yes. Love is a true post player, who does (almost) all the things you wanna see from a big. He has soft hands and great touch around the basket. He can get a bit predictable at times, as he almost always operates on the right block and prefers to turn to his left shoulder often finishing with a right hook. On the AAU circuit, this is irrelevant, but in the NBA, everything is scrutinized. Love also has the jumper and the range to step out to the college 3 point line and stroke it. Love has become famous for his outlet passes, displaying so much skill he's been known to give Dick Vitale 4 hour erections when he ignites the fast break. His passing is impeccable for a big, and he has a decent handle as well. The effort he shows on the boards is excellent, using that wide frame of his to box out opposing players, he also seems to just have that unteachable knack to read the ball off the rim. Unfortunately, his DBL-esque frame can also make him a liability on the defensive end at times. His basketball IQ allows him to maintain his defensive assignments well, but when it becomes 1 on 1, he simply doesn't have the footspeed to be a plus defender. Additionally, at 6'9'', if he plays the 5 he'll be on the short side of nearly every matchup in the league. All in all, Love displays a different type of potential than most. It isn't the potential to run past defenders or jump over them, it's the potential to continue to do the things he does best at the next level (rebound, passing).
