Looks Like the UCLA Departures Have Begun
College Basketball, NBA April 9th. 2008, 10:25am
Depressing story – if you’re a UCLA fan – this morning in the Los Angeles Times: UCLA freshman Kevin Love, who was integral in guiding the team to its third straight Final Four, apparently has told coach Ben Howland that he’s making himself eligible for the NBA draft. (Love’s mother denied the story to his hometown paper, the Oregonian.) There’s more. The Times says point guard Darren Collison is expected to leave, too. And sophomore SG Russell Westbrook’s family has indicated if he’s going to be a lottery pick (sure appears that way), he’s gone. Shockingly, Luc Richard and Josh Shipp are contemplating not hiring an agent but declaring for the draft. And reserve Alfred Aboya seems to be leaning on quitting the team to pursue a Master’s Degree.
Nice little run, Ben Howland, but if all these guys bounce, Arizona State’s going to win the Pac-10 next year. Arizona and Stanford are losing too much.
Sources say Love will leave UCLA (LA Times)
38 Responses to “Looks Like the UCLA Departures Have Begun”
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April 9th, 2008 at 10:26 AM
sorry TBL, but i dont think LA Times is a credible source. They said Favre was coming back last week as well
in Kevin Loves post game press conference, it seemed to me that he was coming back to school
April 9th, 2008 at 10:29 AM
Obvious for Love. Similar to Hansbrough after his freshman year. His stock will likely never be higher than it is now. Love his game. I think he will make a very solid pro with the great touch, hands, and feel for the game.
I’m not quite sure what Collison is thinking. He is a very quick, but limited point guard. He’s not as good as TJ Ford, but they are very similar body types.
Westbrook is making a mistake IMO. Another year of “being the man” on the perimeter in Westwood would likely make him a can’t miss prospect. Now? Likely a 1st rounder, but probably not lottery good, especially with so many freshman likely to declare.
April 9th, 2008 at 10:30 AM
Wait, so would UCLA just have a completely new team next year? I dont think I have ever seen that happen before.
April 9th, 2008 at 10:31 AM
Good point .. LAT also bricked on Tupac and Clemens
April 9th, 2008 at 10:32 AM
Sterlin, after UNC won the title in 2005, they basically had an entirely new team for the 2005-2006 season.
April 9th, 2008 at 10:33 AM
I’m betting on USC taking the Pac next season. Master P’s kid will lead them to the promised land
April 9th, 2008 at 10:35 AM
nbadraft.net has the following people going ahead of Kevin Love:
Brook Lopez
Danilo Gallinari
DeAndre Jordan
JaVale McGee
Nicolas Batum
I know Love is white and all, but 3 out of those 5 names are going to be busts, right?
April 9th, 2008 at 10:36 AM
Good point CBH…this could really hurt UCLA for the future as well. It will screw with their recruiting cycle (sign five players, then only one, etc.)
April 9th, 2008 at 10:37 AM
@Mike NYC
and Love won’t?
April 9th, 2008 at 10:39 AM
True.
April 9th, 2008 at 10:43 AM
While I think Love could definitely use another year of college ball, he will definitely not be a bust under any circumstances. He is simply plays the game in such a way that that will never happen. Will he be a perennial all-star? That remains to be seen. However, he will —barring injuries — have a long and productive NBA career.
April 9th, 2008 at 10:45 AM
unless love gets some roids and magically turns that 30 lbs of lard into muscle, he aint doin shit in the pros, passing or no passing.
April 9th, 2008 at 10:47 AM
@spencer- cmon now man. Kid is going to be a stud in the pros
do people acutally watch college basketball to say Kevin Love is going to be a bust?
April 9th, 2008 at 10:48 AM
Spencer, I often agree with what you say, but as to Love you are sadly deceiving yourself. He is going to be a good NBA player. Period.
April 9th, 2008 at 10:49 AM
Kevin Love is like an Oliver Miller who passes well.
April 9th, 2008 at 10:50 AM
Not sold on Love or Rose but I might just be a hater.
April 9th, 2008 at 10:53 AM
where’s he going to play? Center and give up 3-5 inches on everyone he’ll be matched up against? PF and get burned by guys like Amare, Boozer and Odom?
his ceiling is a good bench player who will provide some spark when the starters are gettin a blow, im sorry. i love the kid at UCLA, just don’t see him doing too well in the NBA. we’ll see.
April 9th, 2008 at 10:54 AM
Never seen the kid from Nevada, Jordan’s very raw, and haven’t seen the Euro, but I’d take B Lopez over Love in a heartbeat
April 9th, 2008 at 10:54 AM
@Sterling –
Pretty sure that Ohio State and Florida had virtually all new teams this year.
It will be a startling year in Westwood if they all leave.
And I can’t believe those that think Love will be a bust in the Association. He will likely not be a perenial All-Star. But, the strength, hands, and feel will go a long way to making a team better.
April 9th, 2008 at 10:55 AM
I believe UCLA has the top class coming in next year. Still not understanding the love for Westbrook. He’ll be solid, but I’m not betting a lottery pick on him.
Collison will be very mediocre.
April 9th, 2008 at 10:55 AM
Love is solid but when you say productive what exactly are you saying? I can see him maybe coming off the bench butas a starter not for a few years.
April 9th, 2008 at 11:03 AM
Both Collinson and Love have denied the report put out by the la times.
April 9th, 2008 at 11:06 AM
on a different NBA draft note, that italian guy, Danilo Gallinari is supposed to be legit.
April 9th, 2008 at 11:07 AM
Isn’t “productive” a code word for “white?”
April 9th, 2008 at 11:09 AM
your something else spencer. Saying some Euro is legit and calling Kevin Love a fat lard who needs roids. If Kevin love went to tOSU, you would be saying he is the greatest thing since sliced bread.
April 9th, 2008 at 11:15 AM
I hope for UCLA’s sake they all stay enrolled in classes. Because if they don’t, they could lose schollies: http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/sports/stories/2008/04/09/osu_men09.ART_ART_04-09-08_C1_MH9SH3I.html?sid=101
April 9th, 2008 at 11:17 AM
Westbrook has something you can’t coach and that’s Serious Hops
And that Batum kid has Lebron HOPS and he’s going to just Terrorize some guys in the NBA (ESPN Highlight Machine waiting to happen)…
The jury is still-out on Love, He’s has a chance of being Average-to-Good NBA player… depends on his Frontline mates
Brook Lopez has a Very Good shot at being a Tim Duncan-type player. Once he improves his footwork he’s going to be a BEAST – JMO
April 9th, 2008 at 11:21 AM
irish…i never said he wasnt a good college player, because that isnt up for debate. he’s awesome. im not a total homer, if you recall back to a few draft discussions (when the season was going on) i knocked little animal (before he decided to stay) because i think he’s going to be an extremely shitty pro.
and i said the italian guy is SUPPOSED to be legit. i say SUPPOSED because ive never seen the guy play, but heard he’s awesome. ive seen love play, and while i see some of his skills translating to the NBA, i dont see his body or athleticism making him anything more than a slower, PF version of luke walton.
April 9th, 2008 at 11:37 AM
It’s more or less the same as UConn after 2006, when their top 6 guys or so left, and UConn completely fell off the map and still hasn’t really recovered. Arizona and Arizona State will probably own the Pac-10 for the next couple years.
April 9th, 2008 at 11:44 AM
I have to agree with Irish here. People are killing Kevin Love, but saying some Euro is supposed to be legit? How is Love going to guard Lamar Odom? For real? Is that the comparison we want to make because Lamar Odom is the biggest underachiever ever.
Living in LA I saw 20 or so UCLA games and Love’s game translates to the NBA. He has great vision,is fierce under the boards, Can step out and make the jump shot. Has great basketball IQ. I mean if guys like Troy Murphy and Ben Wallace can make a name for themselves in the NBA, I don’t see how Love can’t. Sorry, I really don’t
April 9th, 2008 at 11:52 AM
Westbrook is the biggest pro prospect on the team. He’s supposed to go top 10.
Love won’t be as good as Millsap or Lee.
April 9th, 2008 at 12:04 PM
re: Kevin Love in the L
I see a lot of this happening.
April 9th, 2008 at 12:11 PM
Deepest draft ever? Or just the deepest list of known freshmen?
April 9th, 2008 at 12:12 PM
Love is going to be an excellent pro. He has the strength to handle post players that are taller, defends the pick & roll well, and has a knack on the offensive board put back.
Mark it down: 12+ year career, a few all-star games, and he’ll be a cornerstone piece for some franchise.
April 9th, 2008 at 12:14 PM
Better to come out now and get paid while people pick apart your game than stay in school and have the same thing happen. It’s the Terrence Morris Principle, for you Terps fans out there.
UCLA has the top rated class coming in next year, and will always have a top rated class because Howland is a relentless recruiter (the anti-Gary Williams, for you Terps fans out there).
April 9th, 2008 at 12:19 PM
TBL…
Check out the Draft that Kobe was in (Didn’t he go around #14???)
If so, THAT has to be One-Pretty-Impressive Draft Class
April 9th, 2008 at 12:35 PM
1996: Iverson, Camby, Shareef Abdur Rahim, Steph, Jesus Shuttlesworth, Toine, Lorenzen Wright, Kerry Kittles, Samaki Walker, Erick Dampier, Todd Fuller (HAHA), Vitali Potapenko, Mamba, Some guy named Predrag Stojakovic, Some soccer player named Steve Nash, Tony Delk, Jermaine O’Neal
Zydrunas went 20th, D-Fish 24th
April 9th, 2008 at 1:30 PM
Troy Murphy is a good comparison. If Love gets himself in only slightly better shape, he will be a better version of Troy Murphy. See no reason why he won’t be a 15p, 7r career guy.