FanHouse Roundtable: What Kind of NBA Player Will Kevin Love Be?

UCLA's Kevin Love is the NCAA tournament's most talked about player west of Stephen Curry. With Love projected to be a lottery pick, his NBA future is on many people's minds. Not just the normal if he'll go, but what kind of NBA player will he be once he gets there?

So, we got our top hoops minds together to discuss this.

Charles Rich: I'm not so sure he will translate as well to the NBA. I see him much like Shane Battier -- a great college player and a solid NBA player. Great for team chemistry and smart.

Josh Alper: When I read the negatives about Love for the next level I always think that they're trying to find things that are wrong with him rather than stuff that's right. It's true, he isn't freakishly athletic but he's a fantastic basketball player. He's a strong passer, good shooter, goes 100% every minute of the game and knows how to maximize every one of his skills. That's pretty good.

Even if he did turn out like Battier, what's so awful about that? A guy who makes his teammates better and does it happily while helping his team win. I'll take that over a more talented Zach Randolph-type of player.

Ty Keenan: The difference there is that Battier is a terrific defender and Love -- despite his seven blocks against Texas A&M -- is really only passable in that area. The other big difference is that Battier is primarily a jump shooter while Love is a post scorer. Pretty much anybody can get an open corner three in the NBA, but Love will probably have some difficulty scoring over guys who are much bigger and more athletic than he is. I think he'll be reasonably productive just because he's so skilled, but his ceiling is much, much lower than the other well-regarded big men in this class.

Josh: I hear you regarding the expectations, but that's exactly my point about Battier. Superstar or Bust seem to be the only avenues available but 95% of the time the answer is somewhere in the middle. I wouldn't build my team around Love but I'd be surprised if he didn't make a decent team better either. A guy like Jordan might be more athletic and have a higher ceiling but I think there's a better chance he never reaches it.

Ty: The issue is that those negative things necessarily cap his worth at the NBA level. To me, a discussion like this one is as much about managing our expectations for him as much as it's about saying how good he'll be. I really do think he'll be a solid player for quite a few years, but anyone who drafts him in the lottery will be getting a solid player and nothing more. And the fact of the matter is that most lottery teams need something more than a solid player. He reminds me a lot of Sean May in that regard.

Nathan Fowler: My feeling is that if Love gets on an NBA conditioning program and sheds a few pounds he could easily be a Carlos Boozer type player in the NBA - yeah, he'll never be a terrific defender but he's a strong scorer in the low post and he's a GREAT rebounder - that part can't be downplayed, he's going to be a beast on the glass for someone. There are very few teams that can't use a terrific defensive rebounder with solid offensive skills and above average passing skills in the low post - no matter what the defensive limitations (and defensive rebounding is a big part of defensive skills anyways).

Ty: Oh, I definitely agree with you on that. My only point was that he's much more valuable to a playoff team than he is to a lottery team.

Nathan: I think Love's career in the NBA will depend on his willingness to give up Big Macs and hit the treadmill. If he does, he'll be an All-Star. If he stays heavy and plays out of shape or worse, gets hurt, then he's a bust. Teams are really going to have to judge his willingness to change his body.

Sportz Assassin: I think Love will not be an NBA star ... but he can last in the league for a long, long time. He's got a knack for rebounding because of his wide shoulders, knowledge and effort. That can get you in the league.

What will make him stick is the fact he can already hit an 18-foot jump shot. In today's NBA, a guy like Love can make a living being a tough rebounder and hitting that open shot at the top of the key or at the elbows. Horace Grant was outstanding at this with the Bulls. Some have called him a shorter Brad Miller or Mehmet Okur.

Adam Rank: I'm one of those guys who watches college hoops, but doesn't really care much for the NBA. I don't understand why we people try to knock his NBA ability during the middle of UCLA's attempt for a third consecutive Final Four. I agree with Josh that it seems like people are looking for a reason to bash him. He has great skills at the college level, and that's pretty much all I care about although I do believe he could play in the NBA.

Of course, I said that about Nick Fazekas, too.

Ryan Ferguson: I'm with you, Adam. It bothers me a little bit when a college player is already being evaluated for his pro potential as though his college career is nothing more than a warm-up for the NBA draft. As far as I'm concerned, when a player's college career is over, that's when my interest shifts to another emerging player. I'd prefer to appreciate Love for what he brings to the table right now in the college hoops environment. He's a hoot to watch.

Sportz: In Love's case ... it is. He wouldn't be at UCLA if the NBA didn't have their age limit in place. Just like Beasley, Mayo and some of the others. I have issues with the rule (I think it should model the NFL's rule of three years removed), but that's a discussion for another day.

Ty: Well, as someone who watches college and NBA basketball with equal amounts of attention, I can tell you that it's impossible to watch a good college player and not project his NBA career. However, in no way does that stop me from respecting and appreciating what he does at UCLA. He's not my favorite player in the world on a stylistic level, but I would never call him anything less than a terrific college basketball player. But the fact of the matter is that NBA success represents the desired pinnacle of his career, so it's unavoidable for people to think about that, too. At the same time, I don't think that NBA talk should enter into any discussion of his worth as a college player, and that includes during game broadcasts.