Kevin Love is coming off his 14th season in the NBA.
He has certainly had a very formidable career in the league with a career average of 17ppg, 11rpg, – including a career high of 26ppg along with around 13rpg back in 2013. There are many people who have questioned, is he going to be a Hall of Fame player?
Let’s take a look.
The first thing we’re going to acknowledge is that the basketball Hall of Fame includes college accolades, it’s not based solely on an NBA career. You can think what you want, and have your own opinion on that, but that’s the fact.
And there’s just no denying that he was a great player at UCLA. With averages of 17.5ppg and 10.6rpg while playing for UCLA he was an absolute game changer on the hardwood. So it’s very easy to see that possibly between college and pro achievements that he could make the HOF.
I just think that over his 14 seasons he had some nice talent but nothing speaks of the Hall of Fame to me. He was really good immediately when he entered the game at the professional level, but never quite got to the potential that I think that many people thought he was going to get after seeing what he was able to do in his 3rd and 4th seasons.
I think many were expecting him to continue to climb and get even better. But, he didn’t. Kevin Love came in as a pro ready player – and immediately made an impact. But that was it, he never quite got to the next level.
I don’t think that anybody wants just good players in the Hall of Fame. Whether it’s basketball, baseball, or football, you want the greatest players to make the Hall of Fame, that’s what makes it that much more special and that much more revered. Only the great players of their eras really should be entered into a sacred place like the Hall of Fame of that sport.
Not making the Hall shouldn’t be looked at as a failure, as the vast majority of players don’t make it there, but making the Hall of Fame should really be looked at with great admiration. The HOF is for the best of the best. The media needs to stop lowering the bar.
There’s no denying that he has been a very good player during his time in the league. But I think a large measure of what makes a great player is also, are people going to still remember him in 20 years? Love had some nice talent but nothing speaks Hall of Fame to me or the gurus in Vegas.
The way that his career started off, it was easy to think that he was going to be a potential Hall of Famer down the line. But his career ended up being that of a very good player and a guy who was a consistent rebounder and player – but I just don’t think he was quite good enough to make the Hall.
We have to remember as stated earlier, that is for the best of the best. Terry Cummings and Elton Brand were very good players, but I just don’t think that they were good enough to be in the Hall of Fame, so if they’re not going to be in, then I just cannot see Kevin Love being put in either.
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