Following heavy criticism from his experience with USA Basketball prior to the Olympics, Kevin Love finally spoke out on the subject in an interview with Taylor Rooks posted on Twitter by Bleacher Report, and said some people “threw me under the bus.”
The Cavaliers power forward said he was still recovering from a calf injury when he committed to play. Love eventually withdrew from Team USA before the squad headed to Tokyo.
“I was not able to be in the best shape I could have been because I couldn’t fully run yet with my calf, I couldn’t really push off,” he said. “I still could really shoot the ball, I could space the floor, I could rebound but as far as switching one-through-five and how they wanted to play, it just wasn’t appropriate for me.”
Jerry Colangelo, the former managing director of USA Basketball, criticized the 2012 gold medalist last summer for not being in shape when he showed up to camp.
“I didn’t think Kevin Love was going to play. I wasn’t even sure he had much left to play,” Colangelo said. “He reached out to us and said he was in shape and said he felt he owed us. And on the basis of that, we’re looking at someone with international experience who at one time was a heck of a rebounder and could still shoot the ball. You know, being like a 12th man on a roster. Well, it didn’t work out. He wasn’t in shape. And he was way behind as it turned out. So you move on. Call it a mistake.”
Love said those comments stung.
“People that I’ve had relationships with throughout USA basketball for that long, threw me under the bus. And I didn’t like that,” Love said. “I felt that I did the right thing by coming to the landing spot and landing point that I eventually got to. I just thought it was very unfair and coming from this elite fraternity that we have in our 450 players. You would think, like, you take care of each other. … I hope I’m a part of that family from here on out.”
Well the way it was said may have been blunt and harsh but it doesn’t mean it wasn’t true. I think Kev even admitted that and to his credit, I think he used it as motivation to get into the best condition he’s been in for a couple of years. He stayed healthy and embraced his role when the upstart Cavs.
You’re spot-on regarding the WAY Colangelo stated his opinion. It was insensitive and disrespectful, commenting negatively on a man who offered himself to be part of the team despite his inability to ensure full health and conditioning at the time he made the commitment to the team (and his country). Love tried to help the team but it didn’t work out, through no fault of his own. Instead of thanking Kevin for trying Colangelo slapped Kevin in the face. Kevin Love, a long-time professional who has served the game admirably with effort and distinction for many, many years, deserved far, far better than the public criticism Colangelo made. Colangelo owes Kevin a real, public, apology for his ungrateful comments.
Jerry and Bryan Colangelo don’t belong anywhere near basketball at this point.
Agreed
Colangelo has been in pro basketball since 1966. He came up the ranks with nothing. This was a wise sage’s way of saving a guys career. Kevin didn’t look good and Jerry said what he said because he knows a guy like Kevin with where he was at with his career was either washed or needing a fire lit to get him going. Glad to say Kevin was fired up and proved Jerry and the world wrong this season by looking better than he has in awhile. Kudos to Colangelo for lighting him up.
That’s certainly… a take.
Who let Bryan into the chat?
No, congratulations to you, Mr Colangelo, aka Fidtherat ;)
Lump it. You were not in shape. Deal with it.
Kevin Love went on to have 1 of his best 2 seasons of his entire career. Maybe that situation put more of a fire under him. That being said, his roster was conducive to him being productive around their defenders. I think this last year helped extend his chances with teams moving forward, and definitely made him staying in Cleveland more possible than it looked before the season started
End yor career in your hometown Kev! We appreciate you.
Go to Portland