Kevin Love Recalls The Time He Realized Russell Westbrook Was “Gonna Be Special”

A recent episode of Bleacher Report’s “Full Bodied”, hosted by Channing Frye, featured Kevin Love as the guest, discussing the Cleveland Cavaliers’ journey to the 2016 NBA Championship and more.

During the conversation, he talked about a former UCLA men’s basketball teammate, Russell Westbrook. Back in high school, Love wasn’t aware that he was playing with a future star.

Nov 24, 2021; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard Russell Westbrook (0) argues a call in the second half against the Indiana Pacers at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports

In the interview, he discussed Westbrook’s arrival at UCLA one year before love. As a result, he got 9.0 minutes per game in 2006-2007. He recalled Westwood playing with five minutes against Kansas.

“I remember watching him, I think they played Kansas and he had a really great game,” Love said. “But really just a defensive player and then just make some plays happen on offense – he wasn’t a primary focus on either side of the ball.”

.@KevinLove remembers his first time seeing Russell Westbrook and knowing he was going to be something special.

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After the March Madness run, Love got the chance to play for UCLA, and after that, he started playing pickup games during the off-season.

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The absence of Collison was helpful to Westbrook’s development, according to Kevin Love

There was a long-standing tradition of NBA players teaming up with Bruins back in 2007, such as Kobe Bryant, Kevin Garnett, and Paul Pierce, frequently seen in the men’s gym. With these NBA kings, however, he always saw Westbrook take it to the next level. 

Dec 7, 2021; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard Russell Westbrook (0) is defended by Boston Celtics guard Dennis Schroder (71) in the first half at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

“I can remember Russ just taking it off the top of the glass, coming down, surveying the court, kind of cross-grained into the lane, kind of spun back, went up with his left hand and was, like, top of the square and finished,” Love said. “And I thought, ‘Wow, he’s gonna be special.’” [h/t si.com]

Additionally, he mentioned that unfortunately, Darren Collison had an MCL sprain in his knee, so the best thing that happened to Westbrook was that he had to play point guard. This meant managing the team and running the ball. When he switched to shooting guard position, it was a pleasure to watch him play so well.

Please share your thoughts on this interview since seeing great players’ journeys always inspires others. 

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