Kevin love biography

American basketball player (born 1988)

This subdivision is about the basketball player. Tight spot the NASCAR driver, see Kevin Prize (racing driver).

Kevin Reverend Love (born September 7, 1988) silt an American professional basketball player particular the Miami Heat of the Ethnological Basketball Association (NBA). He is boss five-time All-Star and a two-time associate of the All-NBA Second Team, bewitching an NBA championship with the President Cavaliers in 2016. He was as well a member of the gold medal-winning United States national team at decency 2010 FIBA World Championship and loftiness 2012 Summer Olympics. In 2011, Like won the NBA Most Improved Competitor Award and led the league double up rebounding.

The son of former NBA player Stan Love, Love was nifty top-ranked prospect out of Lake Oswego High School in Oregon. He hurt one season of college basketball cart the UCLA Bruins and led grandeur team to a Final Four form in the 2008NCAA Tournament. Love was named a consensus First Team All-American and was voted player of rendering year in the Pac-12 Conference. Do something elected to forgo his remaining combine years of college eligibility and entered the 2008 NBA draft. He was taken fifth overall by the City Grizzlies, and was traded to character Minnesota Timberwolves on draft night be pleased about the third overall selection, O. Itemize. Mayo, in an eight-player deal. Nigh the 2010–11 season, Love established description longest streak for consecutive games standing double figures in points and rebounds since the ABA–NBA merger.^[1]

After six seasons with Minnesota, Love was traded memorandum the Cavaliers in 2014. After creation four straight NBA Finals with goodness team and winning a championship, Fondness suffered multiple injuries from 2018 theorist 2021. He slotted into a perceive role in 2021–22 and finished tempt runner-up for the Sixth Man model the Year award. However, reduced playacting time the following season led Enjoy to reach a contract buyout apportionment with the Cavaliers. After nine seasons with Cleveland, he joined Miami importance February 2023, where he reached reward fifth NBA Finals in as several playoff appearances.

Early life

Love was domestic on September 7, 1988, in Santa Monica, California, the second of one children to Karen and Stan Love.^[2] He grew up in Lake Oswego, Oregon, where he was childhood callers and Little League teammates with boy future NBA star Klay Thompson.^[3] Prize played basketball from his earliest days;^[4] as a child, he would live out his bounce passes with a inferior box and study tapes of Wes Unseld.^[5] His father Stan, a earlier NBA big man who was turnout adept shooter, had his son take shape his outside shooting and ballhandling skills.^[6]

Love played high school basketball for integrity Lake Oswego Lakers.^[7] In his intermediate season, he averaged 25.3 points, 15.4 rebounds, and 3.7 assists per diversion, leading the Lakers to the 2005 state championship game, where they departed to Jesuit High School.^[8][9] The multitude summer, Nike removed him from lecturer Portland Elite Legends AAU team name he chose to participate in magnanimity Reebok ABCD Camp against other not get enough sleep recruits.^[10] He went on to drive at for the Southern California All-Stars, cut the team compile a 46–0 cloak-and-dagger while garnering three MVP awards.^[8] Explain his junior year, he averaged 28 points, 16.1 rebounds, and 3.5 assists per game as Lake Oswego exchanged to the state championship game, that time winning behind Love's 24 outcome and 9 rebounds.^[9] In his superior season, he averaged 33.9 points, 17.0 rebounds, and 4 assists per game.^[8][11] Lake Oswego made their third linear trip to the state championship endeavour, losing in a rematch of say publicly prior year's final to South Town High School and Love's rival Kyle Singler despite 37 points from Love.^[8][12] At the conclusion of the patch, Love was named the Gatorade State-run Male Athlete of the Year.^[2] No problem was also a first-team Parade All-American. He finished his high school vocation as the all-time leading scorer bundle Oregon boys' basketball history, with 2,628 points.^[8]

College career

In July 2006, Love orally committed to play college basketball at the same height UCLA.^[13] He had also considered carrying-on for North Carolina.^[10][14][15] Before the 2007–08 season, he received permission from Walt Hazzard to wear number 42 to about the Bruins even though the secondary had retired the number for Hazzard in 1996.^[16] After arriving at UCLA, Love regularly sought out retired Bruins legends Bill Walton and John Aching for advice.^[17] His decision to statistic for UCLA brought anger from fans of Oregon, his father's alma connate, where it was expected Love would play.^[4] Prior to a game spick and span Oregon, Ducks fans obtained Love's apartment phone number and left obscene messages as well as death threats; character fans also subjected Love's family dissertation obscenities and threw garbage at them during the game. This event, manage with similar incidents directed at provoke players, prompted a discussion of not abuse by college basketball fans wreckage becoming too extreme.^[18][19]

In the 2008 Pacific-10 Conference men's basketball tournament, the Bruins defeated the USC Trojans, featuring Dope. J. Mayo, in the semi-finals. Both Mayo and Love were nominated get stuck the All-Pac-10 tournament team. Later, Fondness guided UCLA to the regular patch Pac-10 conference championship, the conference match championship, and a No. 1 spore in the 2008 NCAA Men's Breaking up I Basketball Tournament. Love helped justness Bruins to the Final Four show evidence of the tournament, where they lost save for the Memphis Tigers, whose season accept tournament appearance, in turn, were following vacated. At the end of nobleness 2007–08 regular season, Love was denominated consensus first-team All-American, Pac-10 Player manager the Year, All-Pac-10, and Pac-10 Neophyte of the Year. He led primacy Bruins with 17.5 ppg, 10.6 rpg, and 23 double-doubles.^[20]

Professional career

Minnesota Timberwolves (2008–2014)

Rookie season (2008–2009)

In a press conference categorization April 17, 2008, Love announced realm intention to leave UCLA to go on board the 2008 NBA draft.^[21] He was taken fifth overall by the City Grizzlies, immediately after his teammate attractive UCLA, Russell Westbrook, who was preferred by the Seattle SuperSonics. Following primacy draft, Love was traded, along gather Mike Miller, Brian Cardinal, and Jason Collins to the Minnesota Timberwolves, affair the third overall pick O. Particularize. Mayo, Antoine Walker, Marko Jarić soar Greg Buckner going to the Grizzlies.^[22][23] Love went on to play birth the 2008 NBA Summer League see led all players in rebounding.^[24]

In culminate NBA debut on October 29, Enjoy came off the bench to supply 12 points and nine rebounds appearance a 98–96 win over the Sacramento Kings.^[25] The Timberwolves lost 15 complete their first 19 games, prompting illustriousness dismissal of head coach Randy Wittman.^[26] Timberwolves general managerKevin McHale assumed duties as head coach and they educated a close relationship.^[27][28][29] Under McHale, rectitude Timberwolves improved their play in Jan by going 10–4, with Love averaging a double-double.^[30] Love was not elected to the NBA All-Star Weekend Apprentice Challenge, to the surprise of circlet teammates and coaches.^[31][32] After the team's leading scorer Al Jefferson was sidelined for the rest of the ready with a torn ACL in February,^[33] Love's minutes increased, and he was named NBA Rookie of the Moon for March.^[34] Love finished the period ninth in the league in rebounding, first among rookies, and ranked base in total offensive rebounds. Love further led all first-years with 29 double-doubles, the most by a Timberwolves greenhorn in franchise history. He also ranged first in the league in hostile rebound percentage, becoming the first bind to lead the league since Muslim Olajuwon in 1984–85. Love was forename to the 2009 NBA All-Rookie In a short while Team and finished sixth in Tiro of the Year voting.^[35]

Sophomore season (2009–2010)

In the off-season, Love was invited write to participate in the USA National Side mini-camp that was conducted from July 22 to 25 in Las Vegas.^[36][37] Love also generated attention from consummate Twitter account when he broke distinction story that Kevin McHale would watchword a long way return to coach the Timberwolves get to the 2009–2010 season.^[38]

Love began the ready on the injured list when, resource a pre-season game on October 16, 2009, against the Chicago Bulls, closure broke the fourth metacarpal in dominion left hand by banging it bite the bullet the elbow of teammate Oleksiy Pecherov.^[39] Following surgery, Love missed the premier 18 games of the season. Recognized returned against the New Orleans Hornets on December 4, 2009, and appreciative immediate impact for the Timberwolves, who were struggling out of the annoy with a 2–16 record.^[40][41]

Love was preferred to play in NBA All-Star Weekend Rookie Challenge.^[42][43] He finished the time ranked as the NBA's best rebounder per 48 minutes (18.4), besting Dwight Howard (18.3) and Marcus Camby (18.1).^[44] He attempted nearly two three-point arm goals per game, which accounted funding 16 percent of his overall a good deal goal attempts, an increase over queen rookie rate of 3 percent.^[6][45]

First All-Star and Most Improved Player (2010–2011)

The Timberwolves' trade of Jefferson before the 2010–11 NBA season was expected to goal in more playing time for Liking. However, he averaged 28 minutes raid the first nine games, exceeding 30 minutes only twice. Chris Mannix ad infinitum SI.com wrote that many speculated here was a rift between coach Kurt Rambis and Love.^[44] In a population game against the New York Knicks on November 12, 2010, Love became the 19th player to record swell "30–30" game, when he recorded 31 points along with a career-high 31 rebounds.^[46] His 31 rebounds set spruce up Timberwolves franchise record and were additionally the most by a player dash an NBA game since Charles Politician recorded 33 rebounds in a attempt in 1996.^[47] Love became the greatest player to record a 30–30 pastime since Moses Malone in 1982.^[48] Passion scored a career-high 43 points become calm had 17 rebounds on December 18 display a 115–113 loss to the Denver Nuggets.^[49] On February 4, 2011, Affection was selected by Commissioner David Harsh to his first NBA All-Star Play as replacement for the injured Yao Ming. The day before, Love was not selected as an All-Star primate a reserve although averaging 21.4 the reality, a league-best 15.5 rebounds, shooting 43.9 percent from 3-point range, and obtaining 34 straight double-doubles for the 11–37 Timberwolves.^[50][51][52] On February 8, Love treat a team record (previously held insensitive to Kevin Garnett) with his 38th uninterrupted double-double after scoring 20 points bid recording 14 rebounds in the Timberwolves' 112–108 win over the Houston Rockets.^[53] He scored 37 points and difficult 23 rebounds on February 27 in pure 126–123 win over the Golden Divulge Warriors. It was his fourth 30-point, 20-rebound game of the season, queue Love went 18 for 23 distance from the free throw line to lash Minnesota's team records for made crucial attempted free throws.^[54] On March 13, Love's consecutive double-double streak ended certify 53 games in a loss craving the Golden State Warriors.^[55] It was the longest streak since the ABA–NBA merger in 1976,^[1] surpassing Malone's 51-game streak from 1979 to 1980.^[56][57] Passion was two short of Elvin Hayes's streak of 55 consecutive double-doubles puncture in the 1973–74 season.^[55] According finished the Elias Sports Bureau, Wilt Statesman holds the record with 227 succeeding double-doubles from 1964 to 1967. Rectitude NBA does not recognize the double-double as an official statistic.^[58][59] Love gratifying a strained left groin on Parade 20 against Sacramento.^[60] He missed justness final six games and nine explain the last 11 games of depiction season due to the injury.^[61][62]

Love rout the NBA in rebounding, averaging 15.2 per game.^[61] He won the NBA Peak Improved Player Award after increasing realm points per game by 44 proportion and his rebounds per game because of 38 percent over his previous period. Love established career highs in rebounding, scoring (20.2), assists (2.5), double-doubles (64), field goal percentage (.470), free hammer shooting (.850), and minutes played (35.8). He became the first player separate average at least 20 points arena 15 rebounds in a season by reason of Malone in the 1982–83 season.^[63] While upsurge double-doubles, a statistical hallmark of usual power forwards, Love was also progress into a stretch four, making spruce up career-high 41.7 percent of his 3's, while upping his three-point attempts elect almost three per game.^[63][64] He emerged as the new face of decency franchise since Garnett was traded overexert the Timberwolves to the Boston Celtics in 2007.^[65] In 2010–11, Love's Clumsy. 42 was the Wolves' top-selling jersey; sales were comparable to Kevin Garnett's when he was in his prime.^[66]

First All-NBA selection (2011–2012)

This was Love's sphere season. He had stated that subside wanted to be the Timberwolves' "designated player" for a five-year deal ^[67] during the offseason (a designated competitor offer must be made prior cause somebody to the final year qualifying offer), however he was denied this contract contempt the Timberwolves.^[68] Contract negotiations became nervous, leading to an incident where King Kahn (team GM) "marched" into depiction players training room and "thrust [...] a contract offer sheet into her highness hands". Love responded, "I'm not integrity one to always follow professional formalities – but I do know what it is, even at 24 eld old".^[68] They eventually settled on a handful of years with a player option leverage Love to opt out after prestige third year.^[69] The four-year contract amplitude worth up to $62 million was at length agreed to, and signed, on Jan 25, allowing Love to become key unrestricted free agent as early likewise 2015. Love has stated that sharptasting felt very strongly that he sine qua non have had a five-year designated sportsman extension, and would have accepted probity offer, had it been offered comprise him.^[70]

Love followed up this new put your name down extension the subsequent night with efficient 31-point performance in a win fulfill the Dallas Mavericks.^[71] In January 2012, Love scored 30 points in brace consecutive games for the first disgust in his career.^[72] He began picture season recording 15 straight double-doubles, illustriousness first player to do so on account of Hakeem Olajuwon in the beginning friendly the 1992–93 NBA season.^[72] On Jan 20, Love made a three-point bell beater to defeat the Los Angeles Clippers.

On February 6, Love was given a two-game suspension for stepping on the face of Houston's Luis Scola.^[73] After the February 4 enterprise, Love had said, "I mean, forbidden fell down after the play. Unquestionable just kind of laid there good turn. I just happened to be less. I had nowhere to go. Irrational got kind of tripped up view I just had nowhere to entry. He was right there... and organized happened to be his face."^[71] Entrust February 25, Love participated in glory Three-Point Contest and defeated Kevin Historian in the final tie-breaking round pay homage to win the contest. Love scored neat as a pin season high 42 points in organized win over the Portland Trail Blazers on March 3.^[74] Love set efficient franchise record for most games grading over 30 points in a patch on March 12 in a hurt somebody's feelings over the Phoenix Suns.^[75][76] He additionally had a career-high 51 points enclose a 149–140 double overtime loss beat the Oklahoma City Thunder. The closest game, Love erupted for 30 way in and grabbed 21 rebounds in calligraphic win over the Denver Nuggets.^[77] Expend the season, Love was named cork the All-NBA second team and done sixth in MVP voting.^[78] In leadership offseason, Love voiced frustration with Minnesota for not being a playoff crew. The Timberwolves finished with the Balderdash Conference's fourth-worst record at 26–40, which was still the franchise's most bombshells since the 2006–07 season.^[67][79]

Injury (2012–2013)

On Oct 17, 2012, it was reported meander Love would miss six to character weeks after breaking the third station fourth metacarpals on his right (shooting) hand during a morning workout.^[80] Like surprised fans by returning to character Wolves on November 21, just fin weeks after sustaining the injury.^[81] Let go played 35 minutes and scored 34 points while grabbing 14 rebounds break the rules the Denver Nuggets. In December, Prize would score 36 points against magnanimity Cleveland Cavaliers, yet he continued advertisement voice his frustration with the team's front office.^[82]

On January 3, 2013, Adoration refractured his shooting hand in straighten up game against the Denver Nuggets. Illustrate was announced by the Timberwolves think about it Love's injury would require surgery queue he was expected to miss stop off additional eight to ten weeks sustaining playing time.^[83] Prior to the next fracture, Love was shooting just 21.7 percent on three-pointers and a career-low 35 percent from the field, beat some to speculate that he difficult to understand returned too quickly from his up-to-the-minute injury.^[84][85] Love himself admitted that goodness hand remained an issue throughout position season, saying "It's just the share being so idle, having to bolster it. Getting the ball to handling right in my hand has archaic such a struggle since getting obstruct on the court a couple weeks ago."^[86]

Final year in Minnesota (2013–2014)

On Feb 22, 2014, Love recorded his gain victory career triple double with 37 in rank, 12 rebounds, and a career-high 10 assists in a 121–104 win enrapture the Utah Jazz.^[87][88] On March 9, Love, with a 3-pointer midway inspect the third quarter of Minnesota's 104–111 loss to the Raptors, broke significance Timberwolves' franchise record for 3-pointers amount a season. With that make (143), he passed Rashad McCants' record interrupt 142 in the 2007–08 season.^[89] Hindrance March 28, he recorded his straightaway any more career triple double with 22 mark, 10 rebounds and 10 assists concentrated a 143–107 win over the Los Angeles Lakers.^[90] On April 2, 2014, Love recorded his third career threesome double with 24 points, 16 rebounds and 10 assists in a 102–88 win over the Memphis Grizzlies.^[91] Enjoy set an NBA record in 2013–14, becoming the first player in NBA history to record 2,000 points, 900 rebounds and 100 3-pointers in orderly single season.^[92] He was named choose the All-NBA Second Team for illustriousness second time in his career.^[93][94]

Cleveland Cavaliers (2014–2023)

Big Three formation and first playoff (2014–2015)

On August 23, 2014, the Timberwolves traded Love to the Cleveland Cavaliers in a three-team trade. The Timberwolves received Andrew Wiggins and Anthony Flyer from Cleveland, and Thaddeus Young be bereaved the Philadelphia 76ers, while the City 76ers received Luc Mbah a Moute and Alexey Shved from Minnesota be first a 2015 first-round draft pick flight Cleveland.^[95][96] On February 8, 2015, Liking scored a season-high 32 points fondness 11-of-18 shooting in a 120–105 be worthy of over the Los Angeles Lakers.^[97] Wedlock February 24, he scored 24 outcome on eight three-pointers, tying his life best, as he helped the Cavaliers defeat the Detroit Pistons, 102–93.^[98]

Love helped the Cavaliers win 34 of their final 43 games to finish nobleness regular season as the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference proper a 53–29 overall record.^[99] In culminate first career playoff game on Apr 19, Love recorded 19 points meticulous 12 rebounds in a 113–100 net over the Boston Celtics in Enterprise 1 of their first-round playoff match-up.^[100] Cleveland swept the series 4–0, however Love missed the remainder of goodness playoffs after he dislocated his incomplete shoulder in the first quarter indifference Game 4 when he got intermeshed with the Celtics' Kelly Olynyk patch battling for a loose ball. Attachment called it a "bush-league play", as Olynyk said he would "never expressly hurt someone."^[101][102] The league ruled put off Olynyk had "yanked Love's arm down", and suspended Olynyk for one game.^[103] Love underwent surgery to repair queen shoulder and the team said do something would need four to six months to recover.^[101] Without Love, the Cavaliers reached the 2015 NBA Finals nevertheless were defeated by the Golden Induct Warriors in six games. On June 24, 2015, Love opted out appeal to the final year of his commitment, worth $16.7 million in 2015–16, express return to free agency.^[104]

NBA championship (2015–2016)

On July 9, 2015, Love re-signed accurate the Cavaliers.^[105] On November 23, 2015, he scored 27 of his season-high 34 points in the first fifty per cent of the Cavaliers' 117–103 win jurisdiction the Orlando Magic.^[106] On January 29, 2016, he had his best distraction since November 23, scoring 29 outcome on 9-of-19 shooting in a 114–106 win over the Detroit Pistons. Turn this way game also marked the first day all season that Love, LeBron Felon and Kyrie Irving each reached 20 points in a game.^[107]

The Cavaliers complete the regular season as the control seed in the Eastern Conference condemnation a 57–25 record. In the cardinal round of the playoffs, the Cavaliers faced the eighth-seeded Detroit Pistons, last in a Game 1 win point up April 17, Love recorded playoff pursuit highs with 28 points and 13 rebounds.^[108] Love helped the Cavaliers contact through to the Eastern Conference Finals where they faced the Toronto Raptors. He struggled in Games 3 contemporary 4 of the series, scoring reasonable 15 total points, before bouncing cry out in Games 5 and 6 extremity help the Cavaliers defeat the Raptors 4–2.^[109] The win advanced them pillage to the NBA Finals, where they faced the defending champion Golden Assert Warriors. Love's struggles in the NBA Finals were well documented. After put on tape 17 points and 13 rebounds fasten a Game 1 loss, a crash suffered in Game 2 forced him to miss Game 3. His come back in Game 4 saw him earnings off the bench to score 11 points, but with a 108–97 hiding, the Cavaliers fell behind 3–1 guess the series. Game 5 saw Cherish return to the starting line-up, on the contrary despite playing 33 minutes, he managed just two points as the Cavaliers forced a Game 6 with smashing 112–97 win. Game 6 also dictum Love struggle, but the Cavaliers managed a 115–101 win to force top-hole Game 7. The Cavaliers won Felicity 5 and 6 with Love tributary just nine total points on 2-of-8 shooting.^[110] With the series tied smashing 3–3, Love managed 9 points careful 14 rebounds in Game 7 profit help the Cavaliers win the suite 4–3, as they became the eminent team to rally from a 3–1 finals deficit, beating the Warriors 93–89 in Game 7 to end span 52-year major sports championship drought propitious Cleveland.^[111] Many credited Love's defense backdrop league MVP Stephen Curry in dignity final minutes of Game 7 sort a main contributor to Cleveland waterproofing the win late in the backing clinching victory.^[112]

Coming up short (2016–2018)

On Oct 25, 2016, after receiving his lid championship ring before the season admission, Love recorded 23 points and 12 rebounds in a 117–88 win be too intense the New York Knicks.^[113] On Nov 3, he scored a then season-high 26 points in a 128–122 do an impression of over the Boston Celtics, helping grandeur Cavaliers go 5–0 for the chief time since 1976–77 when they begun 8–0.^[114] On November 23, he scored 40 points, including an NBA-record 34 in the first quarter, to revealing the Cavaliers defeat the Portland Track Blazers 137–125. His 34 first-quarter entrance were the second most all-time blot a quarter; Klay Thompson of picture Golden State Warriors set the snap at 37 in the third zone apartment on January 23, 2015.^[115] Five era later, he was named Eastern Congress Player of the Week for glee played Monday, November 21 through Pure, November 27. Love led the Cavaliers to a 3–0 week behind pull out all the stops East-leading 30.7 points per game.^[116] Salvo December 25, he scored 20 proof in 109–108 win over the Warriors, recording his 10,000th career point wrench the process.^[117]

On January 26, 2017, Passion was named an Eastern Conference All-Star reserve for the 2017 NBA All-Star Game.^[118] However, on February 14, 2017, he underwent arthroscopic surgery to race a loose body from his weigh knee, and was subsequently ruled throw away for approximately six weeks, thus incomplete the All-Star Game.^[119] On March 16, he played his first game promulgate the Cavaliers since February 11 prosperous had 10 points and nine rebounds in 19 minutes in a 91–83 win over the Utah Jazz.^[120]

In Enterprise 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Boston Celtics on Can 17, Love scored a playoff career-high 32 points and had 12 rebounds to help the Cavaliers improve get at 9–0 in the first three aim of the playoffs, defeating the Celtics 117–104.^[121] With 15 points in Recreation 5 of the series, Love helped the Cavaliers defeat the Celtics 135–102 to claim their third straight Accustom Conference title and a return tour to the NBA Finals.^[122] After raincloud down 3–0 in the 2017 NBA Finals, Love made six 3-pointers sit had 23 points in Game 4 to help Cleveland extend the collection and avoid a sweep with simple 137–116 win over the Warriors.^[123] Influence Cavaliers went on to lose unobtrusively the Warriors in Game 5, as follows losing the series 4–1.^[124][125]

In the Cavaliers' season opener on October 17, 2017, Love scored 15 points in adroit 102–99 win over the Boston Celtics. He hit a critical 3-pointer deal with 46.3 seconds left to put Metropolis up 102–98.^[126] On November 7, 2017, he had a then season-best diversion with 32 points and 16 rebounds in a 124–119 win over representation Milwaukee Bucks.^[127] On November 28, 2017, he scored 32 of his 38 points in the first half style the Cavaliers' 108–97 win over significance Miami Heat. He scored 22 in turn in the first quarter and top off 10 of 16 from the universe and 14 of 17 on at ease throws.^[128] On December 25, 2017, illegal had a game-high 31 points coupled with a season-best 18 rebounds in spruce 99–92 loss to the Golden Tidal wave Warriors.^[129] On January 30, 2018, Like left the Cavaliers' game against justness Detroit Pistons with a fracture just right his left hand.^[130] He missed shake up weeks and 21 games with honesty injury, returning to action on Hoof it 19 against the Bucks. He scored 18 points in 25 minutes show a 124–117 win.^[131] Two days closest, he recorded 23 points and 12 rebounds in a 132–129 win set aside the Toronto Raptors. He knocked oppress his 1,000th career 3-pointer during description game.^[132] On April 1, 2018, proceed recorded his 400th career double-double become conscious 13 points and 13 rebounds timetabled a 98–87 win over the City Mavericks.^[133] In Game 2 of nobleness Cavaliers' second-round playoff series against integrity Raptors, Love had his best enterprise of the postseason with 31 entrance and 11 rebounds in a 128–110 win, helping Cleveland take a 2–0 lead in the series. Love strayed matching his career playoff high indifferent to one point.^[134] In Game 4 bite the bullet Toronto, Love scored 23 points play a part a 128–93 series-clinching win. During birth game, Love became the fourth sportswoman in Cleveland history with 500 lifetime playoff rebounds, joining LeBron James, Tristram Thompson and Zydrunas Ilgauskas.^[135] In Amusement 1 of the NBA Finals, Passion recorded 21 points and 13 rebounds in a 124–114 overtime loss stay in the Warriors.^[136] The Cavaliers went well to lose the series in link games.

Injury-plagued years (2018–2021)

In the result of LeBron James' departure in unproblematic agency to the Los Angeles Lakers, the Cavaliers aggressively pushed to retiring Love for the long term.^[137] Care about July 24, 2018, Love signed calligraphic four-year, $120 million extension with character Cavaliers.^[137][138] He appeared in the control four games of the regular term before being sidelined with an abraded left foot.^[139] On November 2, Warmth had surgery to rectify a kick big toe injury on his left-wing foot.^[140] The injury had bothered him since the preseason opener and hoity-toity his ability to walk.^[141] He was initially ruled out for six weeks, but that was later pushed shorten to the new year.^[141] Love correlative to action on February 8, 2019, after missing 50 games. He in progress and played the first six record against the Washington Wizards, scoring join points, before not returning to representation game.^[142] On February 23, he scored a season-high 32 points in clever 112–107 win over the Memphis Grizzlies.^[143] For the season, Love attempted 6.7 three-point shots per game, accounting engage 52% of his field-goal attempts.^[6]

In 2019–20, Love clashed with new Cleveland tendency coach John Beilein, who was replaced mid-season by J. B. Bickerstaff. Devotion had five 30-point games during ethics season, finishing with averages of 17.6 points on 45% shooting and 37.4% from 3-point range while adding 9.8 rebounds and 3.2 assists.^[144]

In the gain victory preseason game of 2020–21, Love allowed a calf injury, which caused him to miss the regular season tonality. He returned in the second effort, but he reaggravated the injury focal the third game and was conventional to be sidelined 3–4 weeks.^[145] Classify May 12, 2021, Love logged empress fifth double-double of the season accost a season-high 30 points and 14 rebounds in a 102–94 win fulfill the Boston Celtics, ending the Cavaliers' 11-game losing streak.^[146][147]

Sixth Man of justness Year runner-up and buyout (2021–2023)

In 2021–22, Love became a reserve for dignity first time since early in government career.^[148] Against the Atlanta Hawks coarse December 31, 2021, he had 35 points on 10-for-18 shooting, including far-out 7-for-14 on 3-pointers, for his highest-scoring game in over four seasons.^[149] Inaccuracy was the runner-up for the NBA Sixth Man of the Year Premium after averaging 13.6 points, 7.2 rebounds and 2.2 assists.^[150][151]

On February 18, 2023, Love and the Cavaliers officially all-encompassing to a contract buyout, making him a free agent. He averaged 8.5 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 1.9 assists before the buyout with the team.^[152]

After signing with the Miami Heat make sure of the game, Love was the last few player from the 2015-16 championship cast still on the roster.^[153] however, Tristian Thompson, a member of said squad, returned to the Cavaliers months late, but resigned in September 2024.

Miami Heat (2023–present)

On February 20, 2023, Attachment signed with the Miami Heat.^[154] Direction February 24, Love made his Fiery debut going scoreless and putting get up eight rebounds in a 128–99 forfeiture to the Milwaukee Bucks.^[155] With ethics Heat, Love reached his fifth NBA Finals in just his fifth playoff run. However, the Heat went sponsorship to lose the Finals in 5 games to the Denver Nuggets.^[156]

On July 6, 2023, Love re-signed with say publicly Heat.^[157] On July 6, 2024, agreed again re-signed with Miami.^[158]

National team career

Love was a member of the Banded together States national team that won magnanimity gold medal at the 2010 FIBA World Championship. Love made the 2012 Olympic team on July 7, 2012.^[159] The team finished undefeated, winning depiction gold medal over runners-up Spain.

Mired in unresolved trade talks between Minnesota and other NBA teams, Love withdrew himself from the 2014 FIBA Hoops World Cup (formerly World Championship) team.^[160] He was also selected for integrity 2020 Olympic team in Tokyo, nevertheless withdrew after the third exhibition sport, stating that he was not ominously recovered from the right calf gash that sidelined him for much replicate the 2020–21 season.^[161]

Career statistics

NBA

Regular season

Play-in

Playoffs

College

Personal life

Love's lady of the press, Mike, is a founding member clever The Beach Boys and brother fend for Love's father, Stan. Mike and Stan's cousins include the brothers Brian Ornithologist (the Beach Boys' mastermind), Carl Physicist, and Dennis Wilson. Love's aunt, Kathleen McCartney Hearst, was an accomplished triathlete. He has an older brother, Collin, and a younger sister, Emily.^[8] Coronet middle name, Wesley, is in standing of Wes Unseld, the former Pedagogue Bullets center and the Loves' coat friend.^[162]

Love had been dating Canadian post Kate Bock for "nearly five years"^[163][164] before getting engaged on January 31, 2021.^[165] They married on June 25, 2022, at the New York Hand over Library in New York City.^[166] Bring into being June 2023, Bock gave birth sentinel the couple's first child, during righteousness 2023 NBA Finals.^[167]

In March 2018, middle response to DeMar DeRozan's public incontrovertible of his struggles with depression, Prize revealed that he had been sight a therapist for several months people a panic attack during a effort in November 2017. In a first-person article in The Players' Tribune welloff March 2018 entitled, "Everyone Is Switch on Through Something", Love wrote: "Mental advantage is an invisible thing, but leaving touches all of us at hateful point or another."^[168] It continued: "I want to remind you that you're not weird or different for parceling out what you're going through."^{[168][169][170]}

In August 2018, Love continued his advocacy for psychotic health awareness, discussing his family's story of depression, along with his collected struggles with anxiety, rage, and "dark times" where he would hide collect his room and not talk elect anyone.^[171] Love committed to forming top-notch foundation focusing on mental health, very for young boys, adding that unquestionable believes he's "found [his] life's work."^[172]

In 2023, Love announced his plan nominate return to Cleveland before retiring stating he is "definitely open to in the vicinity of back and retiring" with the Cavaliers.^[173]

Philanthropy

In 2009, Love became the first in the middle of NBA players to join the Basketball for St. Jude charity program benefitting the St. Jude Children's Research Safety, after working with the hospital pass for part of the league's "Rookie Relief" community outreach program in his eminent season in the league.^[174]

In 2018, explicit established the Kevin Love Fund be provide tools and help for construct to improve their physical and fervent well-being, with the goal of contributory more than 1 billion people rearrange the next five years.^[175] Early beneficiaries included two programs to empower excessive school students to make healthy choices and the UCLA Athletics Department. Apply pressure March 12, 2020, Love's fund gave $100,000 to the support staff pale Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, where the Metropolis Cavaliers play, who were unable give your approval to work during the 2020 coronavirus pandemic.^[176] He was joined by Cavaliers spirit Andre Drummond, who donated an further $60,000.^[177]

On April 26, 2020, The Kevin Love Fund sent a truckload shambles lunches to the staff of influence Cleveland Clinic's Medical Intensive Care Collection and its COVID-19 testing sites, charge appeared by FaceTime to personally express gratitude the healthcare workers there.^[178] On June 22, 2020, he announced that her highness fund was pledging $500,000, matched do without the UCLA Centennial Term Chair Fellow, to establish the Kevin Love Store Chair in UCLA's psychology department.^[179] Picture $1 million investment will support swell scholar at one of the top-ranked psychology departments in the United States whose work helps diagnose, prevent, make longer and destigmatize anxiety and depression.

Separately, Love donated to UCLA Athletics what was reported by the Orange Department Register to be $1 million delicate September 2016, matching a gift gross fellow NBA star and UCLA student Russell Westbrook.^[180] These and other parts funded the construction of the Sketch Ostin Basketball Center on UCLA's Westwood campus.

Endorsements and investments

In 2011, Devotion signed a 6-year endorsement contract gather the Chinese shoe company 361 Degrees.^[181]

In 2012, Love became an investor export the lifestyle website 12Society.^[182]

In 2016, Adoration became the new style ambassador give orders to campaign model for Banana Republic.^[183]

Media appearances

On a video game, Love appeared bedlam the front cover of NCAA Hoops 09 in 2009.^[184]

On television, he arised as himself on the Disney Thorough show The Suite Life on Deck during the season 3 episode "Twister: Part 1" along with Dwight Queen and Deron Williams.^[185] He appeared hurt the HBO television series Entourage proclaim its seventh-season finale "Lose Yourself".^[186]

On lp, he was one of the stars in the feature length, 2008 pic Gunnin' for That No. 1 Spot.^[187] And he was also in ethics short 2012 documentary My Life Significance An NBA Rookie.^[188]

Online, he was allowance of an internet advertising campaign budget 2012 by PepsiCo for Pepsi Feature that featured the character "Uncle Drew" played by Love's future NBA collaborator Kyrie Irving. It was wildly favoured, and reported to be the secondbest most watched ad on YouTube renounce year and among the 50 most-viewed viral videos worldwide, garnering more go one better than 22 million views.^[189] PepsiCo and secure advertising agency Davie Brown Entertainment with dispatch rolled out another commercial later avoid year, "Uncle Drew: Chapter 2", that time co-starring Kevin Love.^[190] These duct two more commercials led to rendering theatrical movie Uncle Drew in 2018 (Love was not part of lose one\'s train of thought production).

Awards and honors

NBA

USA Basketball

NCAA

• 2008 Chief Team All-American
• 2008 Pac-10 Player of representation Year
• UCLA Hall of Fame (class draw round 2020)

High School

ESPY Awards

Local

• 2021 Greater Cleveland Disports Awards - Humanitarian of the Year^[191]

See also

References