Monday, July 24, 2006

Where's the Love?

Westwood, that's where. 2007.

5 Comments:

Blogger D. Ling said...

Did Love committ to UCLA today?

ESPN was running the idea he'd jump to follow Mayo to USC

9:00 AM  
Blogger Todd Martin said...

Yep. The ESPN story didn't say he was following Mayo to USC. That was just bad wording by the ESPN headline. The story itself basically was just suggesting he would "follow" Mayo to SoCal, with Mayo to USC and Love to UCLA. It was deceptive wording, and also inaccurate given Love was leaning to UCLA a lot earlier than Mayo was even considering USC. UCLA is shaping up to be pretty scary next year, and it will be good this year as well. As far as Mayo goes, the kid seems really shady.

2:34 PM  
Blogger D. Ling said...

At 6'9" is Love a 4 or a 5?

I'm guessing he's a college 5 but a future pro 4...

I don't think anyone (outside of Westwood) is arguing Love as a more touted prospect then Mayo. Or even ahead of Michael Beasley.

UCLA are going to be beasts for years to come, Howland is doing a fantastic job.

7:10 PM  
Blogger Todd Martin said...

I think you're right as far as Love being a 5 in college and 4 in the NBA. Scout ranks Love second overall in 2007, behind only Mayo and above Beasley. And I'd much rather have Love than Mayo. Love has a reputation as a guy that makes everyone around him better, while Mayo is a me first point guard who's guaranteed to leave after one year (Love probably will too, but it's certainly conceivable he'd stay 2 or 3) and will likely be a selfish college player who won't get his team far. More raw talent? Sure. Better player to have in college? Absolutely not. And believe me, I am VERY realistic when it comes to my teams. I'm not the rose colored glasses sort.

8:37 PM  
Blogger D. Ling said...

I find that college 5s who go onto play the pro 4 often stay in college a little longer, which bodes well for UCLA. The adjustment to the pro game is just so much greater for these 6'9" big men then it is for the smaller swing men.

I know Love's ceiling is higher then a guy like Shelden Williams but even Williams stayed all four years.

It's incredible that Howland has been tracking Love since grade 8. That's awesome and will be pivotal for UCLA moving forward if he's that committed to recruiting.

Now all Howland has to do is find a way to keep all the blue chippers from darting away to the pros so quickly. Farmar is already gone but if Howland can somehow convince Afflalo, Dragovic and Mbah a Moute to stay an extra year to play with Love, then the Bruins will be deadly.

6:03 AM  

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