Kevin loves the USA

Team USA: Love A Great Fit
By: Jason Fleming
Hoops World
Last Updated: 7/21/10 5:13 PM ET | 2700 times read


There is something about putting on a red, white, and blue jersey, representing your country on an international stage, that is a great equalizer among players. Just about everyone, regardless of NBA status, would love to represent the United States at any kind of international event. Minnesota Timberwolves power forward Kevin Love is no different.

"It's an honor to get selected to be one of the 22 players to try out for Team USA. Obviously you get to where 'USA' across your chest, three letters that mean a lot to everybody here. It's a tremendous honor, but I think all of us are coming out here to compete for the big picture, the World Championships in August, and then hopefully in 2012 playing in London."

Love is currently taking part in Team USA's mini-camp in Las Vegas. From those 22 players USA Basketball will choose 12 to play in the 2010 World Championships next month in Turkey.

When asked about his competition for making the team, Love played a little coy.

"I'm not exactly sure, you'd have to ask the people that are putting together the team," Love said with a grin. "But I see people like David Lee (Golden State), I see Brook Lopez (New Jersey), JaVale McGee (Washington), Lamar Odom (L.A. Lakers) – players like that. And there's going to be some three men as well who are going to have to step up and play the four. That's probably going to be my toughest competition from here on out."

Lee, of course, has hurt his hand and could very well be out of the mix, so that helps Love out. Robin Lopez was also one of the 22, but decided not to compete for precautionary reasons (he had back issues last season). Jeff Green (Oklahoma City) and Tyson Chandler (Dallas) are other players Love is competing against among big men, and Rudy Gay (Memphis), Danny Granger (Indiana), Gerald Wallace (Charlotte), and even Kevin Durant (Oklahoma City) are all three players who at least have played the four in spots in the past, so that's the group he's talking about there.

Still, it's hard to believe would not make this team. The international game is much more predicated on high efficiency and the passing of big men than the NBA game, two aspects of the game where Love excels. He is the king of the outlet pass in addition to being an excellent rebounder, plus he has the ability to step out on the wing and hit a three-pointer.

Really, there may be no more perfect power forward for USA Basketball. Love admitted the prospect of playing for the USA colors had been a dream of his for a long time.

"I've always said that after the Timberwolves - after, really, my job – I think my first priority is Team USA. I'm hoping I have a good showing this week, hopefully I make it to New York, and I'll be playing through August, ending on September 12th at the world championship game."

Speaking of the day job, Love's Timberwolves have been quite busy this offseason. General Manager David Kahn talked about some of the things the Wolves have done with HOOPSWORLD from the Vegas Summer League, but here's a quick rundown:

•Re-signed center Darko Milicic (four years, $20 million)

•Agreed to terms with point guard Luke Ridnour (four years, $16 million)

•Agreed to terms with former second-round pick Nikola Pekovic (three years, $13 million)

•Traded forward/center Al Jefferson to Utah for center Kosta Koufos

•Acquired forward Michael Beasley from Miami

•Acquired swingman Martell Webster from Portland

•Drafted swingmen Wesley Johnson and Lazar Hayward

That is quite the busy summer. They are also reportedly about to trade point guard Ramon Sessions to the Cleveland Cavaliers for point guard Delonte West, whose non-guaranteed contract they will likely waive. And they also would like to trade Koufos. Oh, and they have the rights to point guard Ricky Rubio, whose name is always a topic of conversation though Kahn indicated Rubio is in their plans for 2011-12.

There is no more old guard for the Minnesota Timberwolves. At 21 years old (22 in September), Love as much as anyone else on the team qualifies as a veteran and a leader. He thinks the team only has good things ahead.

"I think we'll definitely have the youngest team in the NBA, but if you look at teams like Oklahoma City, you look at a team like the Memphis Grizzlies, they were both very young. As far as salary I think the highest-paid player we have is $5 million (Beasley, at $4.96 million) and the league average is $6-7 million, so we have a lot of cap space and a lot of moving we can do in the next couple years.

"We're looking forward to it. I think we have a very bright future ahead of us, we just have to be able to play together a little bit and get that chemistry going."

Look for Kevin Love to be a big part of Team USA going forward and who knows, maybe the Timberwolves can build something quicker than most expect.