The Memphis Grizzlies, needing bulk on their front line and a strong rebounder, took UCLA's Kevin Love with the fifth pick in the NBA Draft on Thursday night.
"He brings a wide array of talents to the Grizzlies,"
Memphis general manager Chris Wallace said. "He's a rebounder, tremendous passer, both his interior passer and on the perimeter. As far as an outlet passer, he may be the best outlet passer in the game of basketball."
The selection of Love, a 6-foot-10 forward/center who left college after his freshman year, came after weeks of speculation that the Grizzlies would trade up to grab Kansas State forward Michael Beasley or down to clear more salary room. The rumored partners were teams like Miami and the New York Knicks, but when Memphis was on the clock, the Grizzlies brass selected Love.
"When people want Rudy Gay, it's too much,"
Wallace said, referring to the Grizzlies leading scorer, and adding that the trade talks continued all day.
Memphis also had the 28th pick, late in the first round, which it obtained in the mid-season trade that sent forward Pau Gasol to the Los Angeles Lakers.
Derrick Rose, the University of Memphis guard who led the Tigers to the national championship game, was the draft's top selection, picked by the Chicago Bulls. Beasley went second to the Miami Heat, and the Minnesota Timberwolves picked Southern Cal guard O.J. Mayo. The Seattle SuperSonics took UCLA guard Russell Westbrook just prior to Love's selection.
Previous fifth picks in NBA draft history include the Miami Heat's Dwyane Wade, Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett of the World Champion Boston Celtics, Grizzlies shooting guard Mike Miller and Vince Carter.
Love's selection is another piece the Grizzlies youth movement, which already includes Gay at forward and point guards Mike Conley, the fourth pick out of Ohio State last year, and Kyle Lowry. Memphis also has rights to 7-footer Marc Gasol, Pau's brother, who has been playing in Europe and has said he will play in the NBA next season. Memphis got the rights to the younger Gasol in the trade that sent Pau Gasol to Los Angeles.
Love led the Bruins in scoring and rebounding at 17.5 points and 10.6 rebounds. Love scored in double figures every game and posted 23 double-doubles.
"We love Love,"
Wallace said with a laugh.
Love's pre-draft workout was among the best the Grizzlies saw. Quietly, the team's leadership raved about all aspects of his game, including the ability to throw a chest pass from one end of the court through the basket at the other end, contributing to his reputation as an outlet passer. Wallace said they have watched Love all through his college season, but the pre-draft workout was impressive.
"The workout cemented it because he lost weight and he was more lively on his feet, and he had a terrific workout,"
Wallace said. "We didn't take him strictly because of the workout, but the workout confirmed everything we had found out for him."
One of the many raps against Memphis last season was the team was soft, not willing to assert themselves or bang down low for rebounds and finishing on the offensive end. Memphis coach Marc Iavaroni said Love is a change from that mind-set.
"He likes contact a lot, which I've always respected in my opponents and my teammates,"
Iavaroni said. "...We want to be more physical this year. We want to have guys who enjoy contact and hopefully that's contagious."
Love's father, Stan played with the Lakers and Washington Bullets in the NBA, while his uncle, Mike, is the lead singer for the Beach Boys.
