View source for Kevin Love

{{Short description|American basketball player (born 1988)}}
{{About|the basketball player|the NASCAR driver|Kevin Love (racing driver)}}
{{pp-blp|small=yes}}
{{Use American English|date=August 2019}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2019}}
{{Infobox basketball biography
| name = Kevin Love
| image = Kevin Love 2020 (cropped).jpg
| caption = Love with the [[Cleveland Cavaliers]] in 2020
| image_size = 230px
| position = [[Power forward (basketball)|Power forward]] / [[Center (basketball)|center]]
| height_ft = 6
| height_in = 8
| weight_lb = 245
| league = [[National Basketball Association|NBA]]
| team = Miami Heat
| number = 42
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1988|9|7}}
| birth_place = [[Santa Monica, California]], U.S.
| high_school = [[Lake Oswego High School|Lake Oswego]] ([[Lake Oswego, Oregon]])
| college = [[UCLA Bruins men's basketball|UCLA]] (2007–2008)
| draft_year = 2008
| draft_round = 1
| draft_pick = 5
| draft_team = [[Memphis Grizzlies]]
| career_start = 2008
| career_end = 
| years1 = {{nbay|2008|start}}–{{nbay|2013|end}}
| team1 = [[Minnesota Timberwolves]]
| years2 = {{nbay|2014|start}}–{{nbay|2022|end}}
| team2 = [[Cleveland Cavaliers]]
| years3 = {{nbay|2022|end}}–present
| team3 = [[Miami Heat]]
| highlights = * [[NBA champion]] ([[2016 NBA Finals|2016]])
* 5× [[List of NBA All-Stars|NBA All-Star]] ({{nasg|2011}}, {{nasg|2012}}, {{nasg|2014}}, {{nasg|2017}}, {{nasg|2018}})
* 2× [[All-NBA Second Team]] ({{nbay|2011|end}}, {{nbay|2013|end}})
* [[NBA Most Improved Player Award|NBA Most Improved Player]] ({{nbay|2010|end}})
* [[NBA All-Rookie Second Team]] ({{nbay|2008|end}})
* [[NBA Three-Point Contest]] champion ([[2012 NBA All-Star Game|2012]])
* [[List of National Basketball Association annual rebounding leaders|NBA rebounding leader]] ({{nbay|2010|end}})
* Consensus first-team [[NCAA Men's Basketball All-Americans|All-American]] ([[2008 NCAA Men's Basketball All-Americans|2008]])
* [[Pac-10 Conference Men's Basketball Player of the Year|Pac-10 Player of the Year]] (2008)
* First-team [[List of All-Pac-12 Conference men's basketball teams|All-Pac-10]] (2008)
* [[Naismith Prep Player of the Year Award|Naismith Prep Player of the Year]] (2007)
* [[Gatorade Player of the Year awards|Gatorade National Player of the Year]] (2007)
* [[McDonald's All-American Game|McDonald's All-American]] ([[2007 McDonald's All-American Boys Game|2007]])
* 2× First-team [[Parade All-America Boys Basketball Team|''Parade'' All-American]] (2006, 2007)
| medaltemplates = {{MedalSport|Men's [[basketball]]}}
{{MedalCountry|{{flagu|United States}}}}
{{MedalOlympics}}
{{MedalGold|[[Basketball at the 2012 Summer Olympics – Men's tournament|2012 London]]|[[2012 United States men's Olympic basketball team|Team]]}}
{{MedalCompetition|[[FIBA Basketball World Cup|FIBA World Championship]]}}
{{MedalGold| [[2010 FIBA World Championship|2010 Turkey]] | [[2010 United States men's FIBA World Championship team|Team]]}}
}}
'''Kevin Wesley Love''' (born September 7, 1988) is an American professional [[basketball]] player for the [[Miami Heat]] of the [[National Basketball Association]] (NBA). He is a five-time [[NBA All-Star Game|All-Star]] and a two-time member of the [[All-NBA Second Team]], winning an [[List of NBA champions|NBA championship]] with the [[Cleveland Cavaliers]] in [[2016 NBA Finals|2016]]. He was also a member of the gold medal-winning [[United States men's national basketball team|United States national team]] at the [[2010 FIBA World Championship]] and the [[Basketball at the 2012 Summer Olympics|2012 Summer Olympics]]. In 2011, Love won the [[NBA Most Improved Player Award]] and led the league in [[rebound (basketball)|rebounding]].

The son of former NBA player [[Stan Love (basketball)|Stan Love]], Love was a top-ranked prospect out of [[Lake Oswego High School]] in Oregon. He played one season of [[college basketball]] for the [[UCLA Bruins men's basketball|UCLA Bruins]] and led the team to a [[Final four|Final Four]] appearance in the [[2008 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament|2008 NCAA tournament]]. Love was named a consensus [[2008 NCAA Men's Basketball All-Americans|First Team All-American]] and was voted [[Pac-10 Conference Men's Basketball Player of the Year|player of the year]] in the [[Pac-12 Conference men's basketball|Pac-10 Conference]] (now Pac-12). He elected to forgo his remaining three years of college eligibility and entered the [[2008 NBA draft]]. He was taken fifth overall by the [[Memphis Grizzlies]], and was traded to the [[Minnesota Timberwolves]] on draft night for the third overall selection, [[O. J. Mayo]], in an eight-player deal. During the 2010–11 season, Love established the longest streak for consecutive games recording [[double-double|double figures in points and rebounds]] since the [[ABA–NBA merger]].<ref name="KevinLoveSetsRecord" />

After six seasons with Minnesota, Love was traded to the Cavaliers in 2014. After making four straight [[NBA Finals]] with the team and winning a championship, Love suffered multiple injuries from 2018 to 2021. He slotted into a reserve role in 2021–22 and finished as runner-up for the [[NBA Sixth Man of the Year Award|Sixth Man of the Year]] award. However, reduced playing time the following season led Love to reach a contract buyout agreement with the Cavaliers. After nine seasons with Cleveland, he joined Miami in February 2023, where he reached his fifth [[2023 NBA Finals|NBA Finals]] in as many playoff appearances.

==Early life==
Love was born on September 7, 1988, in [[Santa Monica, California]], the second of three children to Karen and [[Stan Love (basketball)|Stan Love]].<ref name=USA>{{cite web|title=USA Basketball: Kevin Love|url=http://archive.usab.com/bios/love_kevin.html|publisher=USA Basketball|access-date=August 25, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150726133640/http://archive.usab.com/bios/love_kevin.html|archive-date=July 26, 2015|url-status=dead}}</ref> He grew up in [[Lake Oswego, Oregon]], where he was childhood friends and [[Little League Baseball|Little League]] teammates with fellow future NBA star [[Klay Thompson]].<ref>{{Cite news|url = http://portlandtribune.com/pt/12-sports/239799-106273-the-boyhood-bond-of-kevin-love-and-klay-thompson|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20141109040854/http://portlandtribune.com/pt/12-sports/239799-106273-the-boyhood-bond-of-kevin-love-and-klay-thompson|url-status = dead|archive-date = November 9, 2014|title = The boyhood bond of Kevin Love and Klay Thompson|last = Eggers|first = Kerry|date = November 5, 2014|work = Portland Tribune|access-date = March 24, 2015}}</ref> Love played basketball from his earliest days;<ref name=NYT>{{cite news|last1=Branch|first1=John|title=Having Fun, Fun, Fun as a Freshman at U.C.L.A.|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/18/sports/ncaabasketball/18ucla.html?_r=0|website=The New York Times|date=March 18, 2008|access-date=August 25, 2014}}</ref> as a child, he would practice his bounce passes with a cardboard box and study tapes of [[Wes Unseld]].<ref name=Jenkins>{{cite magazine|last1=Jenkins|first1=Lee|title=Love finally has a pair of enticing reasons to stay in Minnesota|url=https://www.si.com/more-sports/2012/01/24/kevin-love|magazine=Sports Illustrated|date=January 24, 2012 |access-date=August 25, 2014}}</ref> His father Stan, a former NBA big man who was an adept shooter, had his son develop his outside shooting and ballhandling skills.<ref name="bigManGame">[https://www.espn.ph/nba/story/_/id/28406470/from-charles-barkley-joel-embiid-fight-modernize-nba-big-man From Charles Barkley to Joel Embiid: The fight to modernize the NBA big man]</ref>

Love played high school basketball for the [[Lake Oswego High School|Lake Oswego Lakers]].<ref name=Reference>{{cite web|title=Kevin Love NBA & ABA Stats|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/l/loveke01.html|publisher=Basketball Reference|access-date=August 25, 2014}}</ref> In his sophomore season, he averaged 25.3 [[Point (basketball)|points]], 15.4 [[Rebound (basketball)|rebounds]], and 3.7 [[Assist (basketball)|assists]] per game, leading the Lakers to the 2005 state championship game, where they lost to [[Jesuit High School (Oregon)|Jesuit High School]].<ref name="ucla">{{cite web|url=http://www.uclabruins.com/sports/m-baskbl/mtt/love_kevin00.html |title=UCLA Player Bio: Kevin Love |work=UCLABruins.com |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120323121535/http://www.uclabruins.com/sports/m-baskbl/mtt/love_kevin00.html |archive-date=March 23, 2012 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name="osaa">{{cite web|url=http://www.osaa.org/basketball/records/boyschamps.pdf|title=OSAA Boys' Basketball State Champions|work=Oregon School Activities Association|access-date=April 27, 2007}}</ref> The following summer, [[Nike, Inc.|Nike]] removed him from its Portland Elite Legends AAU team after he chose to participate in the [[Reebok]] ABCD Camp against other top recruits.<ref name="Jung">{{cite news|url=http://blog.oregonlive.com/playbooksandprofits/2006/07/love_and_sneaker_wars.html|title=Love and sneaker wars|work=The Oregonian|first=Helen|last=Jung|date=July 26, 2006|access-date=October 19, 2010}}</ref> He went on to play for the Southern California All-Stars, helping the team compile a 46–0 record while garnering three MVP awards.<ref name="ucla"/> In his junior year, he averaged 28 points, 16.1 rebounds, and 3.5 assists per game as Lake Oswego returned to the state championship game, this time winning behind Love's 24 points and 9 rebounds.<ref name="osaa"/> In his senior season, he averaged 33.9 points, 17.0 rebounds, and 4 assists per game.<ref name="ucla"/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.lakeoswegoreview.com/sports/story_2nd.php?story_id=117639444257949200|title=Awards pile up for Kevin Love|first=Bill|last=Stewart|work=Lake Oswego Review|date=April 12, 2007|access-date=February 9, 2010|archive-date=July 13, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110713182818/http://www.lakeoswegoreview.com/sports/story_2nd.php?story_id=117639444257949200|url-status=dead}}</ref> Lake Oswego made their third straight trip to the state championship game, losing in a rematch of the prior year's final to [[South Medford High School]] and Love's rival [[Kyle Singler]] despite 37 points from Love.<ref name="ucla"/><ref>{{cite news|url=http://blog.oregonlive.com/oregonianpreps/2007/03/south_medford_takes_title.html|title=South Medford takes title|work=The Oregonian|first=Holly|last=Carpenter|date=March 10, 2007|access-date=October 18, 2010}}</ref> At the conclusion of the season, Love was named the [[Gatorade Player of the Year awards|Gatorade National Male Athlete of the Year]].<ref name=USA /> He was also a first-team [[Parade All-America Boys Basketball Team|''Parade'' All-American]]. He finished his high school career as the all-time leading scorer in Oregon boys' basketball history, with 2,628 points.<ref name="ucla"/>

{{College athlete recruit start|40=no|year=2007}}
{{College athlete recruit entry
| recruit = Kevin Love
| position = [[Center (basketball)|C]] 
| hometown = [[Lake Oswego, Oregon]]
| highschool = [[Lake Oswego High School|Lake Oswego High]]
| feet = 6 
| inches = 9
| weight = 240 
| commitdate = July 25, 2006 
| scout stars = 5
| rivals stars = 5
| 247 stars = 5
| espn grade = 99
}}
{{College athlete recruit end
| 40 = no
| year = 2007
| rivals ref title = 2007 UCLA Basketball Commitment List
| scout ref title = 2007 UCLA College Basketball Team Recruiting Prospects
| espn ref title = UCLA Bruins 2007 Player Commits
| rivals school = ucla
| scout s = 75
| espn schoolid = 26
| scout overall = 1 (C); 12 (school)
| rivals overall = 2 (state); 6 (national)
| accessdate = February 27, 2017
| archivedate = February 27, 2017
| rivals archiveurl= https://ucla.rivals.com/commitments/basketball/2007
| scout archiveurl = http://www.scout.com/2007-basketball-commits?team=UCLA
| espn archiveurl = http://www.espn.com/college-sports/basketball/recruiting/school/_/id/26/class/2007
| bball = yes
}}

==College career==
[[File:Kevin Love Den.jpg|thumb|175px|Love in 2008 at UCLA]]

In July 2006, Love verbally committed to play college basketball at [[UCLA Bruins men's basketball|UCLA]].<ref>{{cite news|last=Katz|first=Andy|title=Love-fest: Hoop phenom says he'll attend UCLA|publisher=ESPN|date=July 25, 2006|url=https://www.espn.com/college-sports/recruiting/news/story?id=2529652|access-date=October 16, 2010}}</ref> He had also considered playing for [[North Carolina Tar Heels men's basketball|North Carolina]].<ref name="Jung"/><ref>{{cite news|first=Diane|last=Pucin|title=Love signs, makes Howland's day|date=November 9, 2008|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2006-nov-09-sp-signing9-story.html|work=Los Angeles Times|access-date=October 19, 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/recruiting/player/_/id/42957/kevin-love|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120711124954/http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/recruiting/player/_/id/42957/kevin-love|url-status=dead|archive-date=July 11, 2012|title=Kevin Love 2007 Basketball Recruiting Profile|publisher=ESPN|access-date=October 18, 2010}}</ref> Before the [[2007–08 college basketball season|2007–08 season]], he received permission from [[Walt Hazzard]] to wear number 42 for the Bruins even though the school had [[UCLA Bruins men's basketball retired numbers|retired the number]] for Hazzard in 1996.<ref name="Parikh">{{cite news|last=Parikh |first=Sagar |title=Hazzard to give up number |work=The Daily Bruin |date=April 6, 2006 |url=http://www.dailybruin.ucla.edu/news/2006/apr/06/success-attracts-new-players/ |access-date=February 21, 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070410083527/http://www.dailybruin.ucla.edu/news/2006/apr/06/success-attracts-new-players/ |archive-date=April 10, 2007 }}</ref> After arriving at UCLA, Love regularly sought out retired Bruins legends [[Bill Walton]] and [[John Wooden]] for advice.<ref name="Wooden">{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/columns/story?columnist=katz_andy&id=3073615&lpos=spotlight&lid=tab1pos1|title=Love reaches out to the Wizard for advice, history |first=Andy|last=Katz |author-link=Andy Katz|publisher=ESPN|date=October 22, 2007|access-date=October 22, 2007}}</ref> His decision to play for UCLA brought anger from fans of [[Oregon Ducks men's basketball|Oregon]], his father's alma mater, where it was expected Love would play.<ref name=NYT /> Prior to a game at Oregon, Ducks fans obtained Love's cell phone number and left obscene messages as well as death threats; the fans also subjected Love's family to obscenities and threw garbage at them during the game. This event, along with similar incidents directed at other players, prompted a discussion of whether abuse by college basketball fans is becoming too extreme.<ref name="si">{{cite news |url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/sioncampus/02/26/abusive.fans0303/index.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080303032900/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/sioncampus/02/26/abusive.fans0303/index.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=March 3, 2008|title=Over the Top|last=Wahl|first=Greg|date=February 26, 2008|access-date=March 5, 2008|work=SI.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2008-jan-31-sp-streeter31-story.html|title=University must enforce an attitude adjustment in fans|last=Streeter|first=Kurt|date=January 31, 2008|access-date=July 15, 2010|work=Los Angeles Times}}</ref>

In the [[2008 Pacific-10 Conference men's basketball tournament]], the Bruins defeated the [[USC Trojans]], featuring [[O. J. Mayo]], in the semi-finals. Both Mayo and Love were nominated to the All-Pac-10 tournament team. Later, Love guided UCLA to the regular season Pac-10 conference championship, the conference tournament championship, and a No. 1 seed in the [[2008 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament]]. Love helped the Bruins to the Final Four of the tournament, where they lost to the [[2007–08 Memphis Tigers men's basketball team|Memphis Tigers]], whose season and tournament appearance, in turn, were later vacated. At the end of the 2007–08 regular season, Love was named [[2008 NCAA Men's Basketball All-Americans|consensus first-team All-American]], [[Pac-12 Conference Men's Basketball Player of the Year|Pac-10 Player of the Year]], [[List of All-Pac-12 Conference men's basketball teams|All-Pac-10]], and [[Pac-12 Conference Men's Basketball Freshman of the Year|Pac-10 Freshman of the Year]]. He led the Bruins with 17.5 ppg, 10.6 rpg, and 23 [[Double (basketball)|double-doubles]].<ref name="wolves">{{cite web|url=http://www.nba.com/timberwolves/news/wolves_sign_love_080711.html|title=Wolves sign Love|publisher=NBA|date=July 11, 2008|access-date=February 7, 2010}}</ref>

==Professional career==
===Minnesota Timberwolves (2008–2014)===
====Rookie season (2008–2009)====
In a press conference on April 17, 2008, Love announced his intention to leave UCLA to enter the [[2008 NBA draft]].<ref name="LoveNBA">{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/nba/draft2008/news/story?id=3351710|title=UCLA's Love says he's headed to the NBA|publisher=ESPN|author=Staff Writer|date=April 18, 2008|access-date=February 7, 2010}}</ref> He was taken fifth overall by the [[Memphis Grizzlies]], immediately after his teammate at UCLA, [[Russell Westbrook]], who was selected by the [[Seattle SuperSonics]]. Following the draft, Love was traded, along with [[Mike Miller (basketball, born 1980)|Mike Miller]], [[Brian Cardinal]], and [[Jason Collins]] to the [[Minnesota Timberwolves]], with the third overall pick [[O. J. Mayo]], [[Antoine Walker]], [[Marko Jarić]] and [[Greg Buckner]] going to the Grizzlies.<ref name="trade">{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/nba/draft2008/news/story?id=3463045|title=Mayo heads to Memphis, Love to Minnesota in blockbuster trade|first=Chad|last=Ford|author-link=Chad Ford|publisher=ESPN|date=June 27, 2008|access-date=February 7, 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.usatoday.com/sports/basketball/nba/2008-06-27-grizzlies-twolves-trade_N.htm|title=O. J. Mayo, Kevin Love trading places in eight-player swap|work=USA Today|author=Staff Writer|date=June 17, 2008|access-date=February 22, 2010}}</ref> Love went on to play in the 2008 [[NBA Summer League]] and led all players in rebounding.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nba.com/summerleague2008/statistics/index.jsp|title=2008 NBA Summer League Statistics|publisher=NBA|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150714224954/http://www.nba.com/summerleague2008/statistics/index.jsp|archive-date=July 14, 2015}}</ref>

In his NBA debut on October 29, Love came off the bench to contribute 12 points and nine rebounds in a 98–96 win over the [[Sacramento Kings]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://sports.yahoo.com/nba/recap?gid=2008102916|title=Love's efficient night helps Wolves escape|first=Jon|last=Krawczynski|agency=Associated Press|publisher=Yahoo! Sports|date=October 29, 2008|access-date=February 25, 2010}}</ref> The Timberwolves lost 15 of their first 19 games, prompting the dismissal of head coach [[Randy Wittman]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/nba/news/story?id=3754151|title=4–15 Minnesota Timberwolves fire Randy Wittman|author=Staff Writer|publisher=ESPN|date=December 8, 2008|access-date=February 25, 2010}}</ref> Timberwolves [[general manager]] [[Kevin McHale (basketball)|Kevin McHale]] assumed duties as head coach and they developed a close relationship.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.startribune.com/sports/wolves/20930284.html?location_refer=Timberwolves:highlightModules:5 |title=Kevin Love a mirror image of McHale |first=Jerry |last=Zgoda |work=Star Tribune |date=June 25, 2008 |access-date=February 26, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090209140929/http://www.startribune.com/sports/wolves/20930284.html?location_refer=Timberwolves%3AhighlightModules%3A5 |archive-date=February 9, 2009 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2009-jan-20-sp-clippersfyi20-story.html|title=Kevin McHale really likes Kevin Love|first=Ben|last=Bolch|work=Los Angeles Times|date=January 20, 2009|access-date=February 26, 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.oregonlive.com/nba/index.ssf/2009/07/kevin_love_looking_for_bigger.html|title=Kevin Love looking for bigger, better achievements|first=Karly|last=Imus|work=The Oregonian|date=July 23, 2009|access-date=February 28, 2010}}</ref> Under McHale, the Timberwolves improved their play in January by going 10–4, with Love averaging a double-double.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.oregonlive.com/nba/index.ssf/2009/02/story_on_kevin_love.html|title=Former Lake Oswego star, Kevin Love becomes a marquee name thanks to McHale|work=The Oregonian|first=Jerry|last=Stephens|date=February 5, 2009|access-date=October 18, 2010}}</ref> Love was not selected to the [[NBA All-Star Weekend Rookie Challenge]], to the surprise of his teammates and coaches.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.usatoday.com/sports/basketball/nba/twolves/2009-01-29-love_N.htm|title=McHale: Love's rookie game snub 'utterly ridiculous'|work=USA Today|author=Staff Writer|date=January 29, 2009|access-date=February 28, 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.startribune.com/sports/wolves/38577747.html?elr=KArksi8cyaiUo8cyaiUiD3aPc:_Yyc:aUU |title=Wolves upset over Love's omission from showcase |first=Jerry |last=Zgoda |work=Star Tribune |date=January 29, 2009 |access-date=October 17, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090201034440/http://www.startribune.com/sports/wolves/38577747.html?elr=KArksi8cyaiUo8cyaiUiD3aPc%3A_Yyc%3AaUU |archive-date=February 1, 2009 }}</ref> After the team's leading scorer [[Al Jefferson]] was sidelined for the rest of the season with a [[Anterior cruciate ligament injury|torn ACL]] in February,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/nba/news/story?id=3894938|title=Jefferson has torn ACL in right knee|publisher=ESPN|author=Staff Writer|date=February 9, 2009|access-date=February 28, 2010}}</ref> Love's minutes increased, and he was named [[NBA Rookie of the Month]] for March.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nba.com/2009/news/04/03/rookies.month/index.html?rss=trueg|title=Bulls' Rose, Wolves' Love named Rookies of the Month|author=Official Release|website=[[NBA.com]]|date=April 3, 2009|access-date=February 28, 2010|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121109123020/http://www.nba.com/2009/news/04/03/rookies.month/index.html?rss=trueg|archive-date=November 9, 2012}}</ref> Love finished the season ninth in the league in rebounding, first among rookies, and ranked third in total offensive rebounds. Love also led all first-years with 29 double-doubles, the most by a Timberwolves rookie in franchise history. He also ranked first in the league in offensive [[rebound percentage]], becoming the first rookie to lead the league since [[Hakeem Olajuwon]] in {{nbay|1984}}. Love was named to the 2009 [[NBA All-Rookie Second Team]] and finished sixth in [[NBA Rookie of the Year Award|Rookie of the Year]] voting.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nba.com/timberwolves/news/Kevin_Love_Named_to_AllRookie-090430.html?rss=true|title=Kevin Love Named to All-Rookie Second Team|publisher=NBA|access-date=May 26, 2009}}</ref>

====Sophomore season (2009–2010)====
[[File:Kevin Love cropped.jpg|thumb|upright|right|Love in 2010]]
In the off-season, Love was invited to participate in the [[United States men's national basketball team|USA National Team]] mini-camp that was conducted from July 22 to 25 in Las Vegas.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/writers/scott_howard-cooper/08/17/love/index.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090820062909/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/writers/scott_howard-cooper/08/17/love/index.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=August 20, 2009|title=Love, Team USA begin courtship|first=Scott|last=Howard-Cooper|work=SI.com|date=August 17, 2009|access-date=July 14, 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nba.com/timberwolves/news/Kevin_Love_Selected_To_Partici-090625.html|title=Kevin Love Selected To Participate In Mini-Camp|work=Minnesota Timberwolves |publisher=NBA|access-date=July 14, 2010}}</ref> Love also generated attention from his Twitter account when he broke the story that Kevin McHale would not return to coach the Timberwolves for the 2009–2010 season.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/nba/news/story?id=4265512|title=Love: McHale won't return|publisher=ESPN|author=Staff Writer|date=June 17, 2009|access-date=March 10, 2010}}</ref>

Love began the season on the injured list when, in a pre-season game on October 16, 2009, against the [[Chicago Bulls]], he broke the fourth metacarpal in his left hand by banging it against the elbow of teammate [[Oleksiy Pecherov]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/nba/news/story?id=4567788|title=Wolves' Love likely to miss six weeks|publisher=ESPN|date=August 17, 2009|access-date=July 14, 2010}}</ref> Following surgery, Love missed the first 18 games of the season. He returned against the [[New Orleans Hornets]] on December 4, 2009, and made immediate impact for the Timberwolves, who were struggling out of the gate with a 2–16 record.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.startribune.com/sports/wolves/78557752.html?elr=KArksUUUoDEy3LGDiO7aiU |title=Wolves' Love impressive, but Hornets' Paul trumps him in his return |first=Jerry |last=Zgoda |work=Star Tribune |date=December 5, 2009 |access-date=July 14, 2010 }}{{dead link|date=May 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nba.com/2009/news/features/steve_aschburner/12/11/love.doubles/index.html|title=From Minnesota with Love: Wolves finally looking better|first=Steve|last=Aschburner|publisher=NBA|date=December 5, 2009|access-date=July 14, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150627063753/http://www.nba.com/2009/news/features/steve_aschburner/12/11/love.doubles/index.html|archive-date=June 27, 2015|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Love was selected to play in [[NBA All-Star Weekend Rookie Challenge]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nba.com/timberwolves/fans/nba_allstars_central_2010.html |title=TIMBERWOLVES: NBA All-Stars Central 2010 |publisher=NBA |access-date=July 26, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121110095705/http://www.nba.com/timberwolves/fans/nba_allstars_central_2010.html |archive-date=November 10, 2012 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Blinebury |first=Fran |title=Rooks grab rare win over NBA sophomores |date=February 13, 2010 |publisher=NBA |url=http://www.nba.com/games/20100212/RKESPH/gameinfo.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110303051859/http://www.nba.com/games/20100212/RKESPH/gameinfo.html |archive-date=March 3, 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref> He finished the season ranked as the NBA's best rebounder per 48 minutes (18.4), besting [[Dwight Howard]] (18.3) and [[Marcus Camby]] (18.1).<ref name=memo>Mannix, Chris (November 13, 2010) [https://web.archive.org/web/20101114033031/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/writers/chris_mannix/11/13/kevin.loves.big.game/index.html Memo to Timberwolves: Love is a talent worth developing]. ''SI.com''.</ref> He attempted nearly two [[three-point field goal]]s per game, which accounted for 16 percent of his overall field goal attempts, an increase over his rookie rate of 3 percent.<ref name=bigManGame/><ref>{{cite book|first=Kirk|last=Goldsberry|title=Sprawlball: A Visual Tour of the New Era of the NBA|year=2019|publisher=Houghton Mifflin Harcourt|pages=165|isbn=9780358329756|ref=goldsberry2019}}</ref>

====First All-Star and Most Improved Player (2010–2011)====
[[File:Kevin Love.jpg|thumb|upright|Love in 2011]]
The Timberwolves' trade of Jefferson before the 2010–11 NBA season was expected to result in more playing time for Love. However, he averaged 28 minutes through the first nine games, exceeding 30 minutes only twice. Chris Mannix of [[SI.com]] wrote that many speculated there was a rift between coach [[Kurt Rambis]] and Love.<ref name=memo/> In a home game against the [[New York Knicks]] on November 12, 2010, Love became the 19th player to record a "30–30" game, when he recorded 31 points along with a career-high 31 rebounds.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.espn.com/los-angeles/nba/recap?gameId=30111201|title=Kevin Love posts NBA's 1st 30–30 game in 28 years as Knicks fade in 4th|agency=Associated Press|date=November 12, 2010|access-date=November 12, 2010}}</ref> His 31 rebounds set a Timberwolves franchise record and were also the most by a player in an NBA game since [[Charles Barkley]] recorded 33 rebounds in a game in 1996.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.startribune.com/sports/wolves/107621893.html?elr=KArksi8cyaiUqPk4DyCc75DiUiacyKUzyaP37D_ncyD_2yckUr |title=Kevin Love grabs 31 rebounds, scores 31 points to rally Wolves to 112–103 win over Knicks |first=Jon |last=Krawczynski |agency=Associated Press |date=November 12, 2010 |access-date=November 12, 2010 }}{{dead link|date=May 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> Love became the first player to record a 30–30 game since [[Moses Malone]] in 1982.<ref name="thirty">{{cite news|url=https://www.usatoday.com/sports/basketball/nba/2010-11-12-4260558772_x.htm|title=Love has 30–30 game in Wolves' win over Knicks|first=Jon|last=Krawczynski|work=USAToday|date=November 12, 2010|access-date=November 12, 2010}}</ref> Love scored a career-high 43 points and had 17&nbsp;rebounds on December 18 in a 115–113 loss to the [[Denver Nuggets]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Kevin Love's career night not enough for Minnesota against Denver |agency=[[Associated Press]] |date=December 18, 2010 |publisher=ESPN |url=http://espn.go.com/nba/recap?gameId=301218007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101222024723/http://espn.go.com/nba/recap?gameId=301218007 |archive-date=December 22, 2010 |url-status=dead }}</ref> On February 4, 2011, Love was selected by Commissioner [[David Stern]] to his first [[NBA All-Star Game]] as replacement for the injured [[Yao Ming]]. The day before, Love was not selected as an All-Star as a reserve although averaging 21.4 points, a league-best 15.5 rebounds, shooting 43.9 percent from 3-point range, and having 34 straight double-doubles for the 11–37 Timberwolves.<ref>{{cite news|title=NBA announces All-Star reserves |publisher=ESPN |date=February 4, 2011 |url=https://www.espn.com/nba/news/story?id=6088181 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110205154840/http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=6088181 |archive-date=February 5, 2011 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Kevin Love selected as final All-Star |publisher=ESPN |date=February 4, 2011 |url=https://www.espn.com/nba/allstar2011/news/story?id=6091625 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110206072914/http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/allstar2011/news/story?id=6091625 |archive-date=February 6, 2011 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Deveney |first=Sean |title=Kevin Love named injury replacement in All-Star Game |work=SportingNews.com |date=February 4, 2011 |url=http://www.sportingnews.com/nba/story/2011-02-04/kevin-love-named-injury-replacement-in-all-star-game |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110206104522/http://www.sportingnews.com/nba/story/2011-02-04/kevin-love-named-injury-replacement-in-all-star-game |archive-date=February 6, 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref> On February 8, Love set a team record (previously held by [[Kevin Garnett]]) with his 38th consecutive double-double after scoring 20 points and recording 14 rebounds in the Timberwolves' 112–108 win over the [[Houston Rockets]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Kevin Love sets Minnesota mark with 38th consecutive double-double |publisher=ESPN |agency=Associated Press |date=February 8, 2011 |url=http://scores.espn.go.com/nba/recap?gameId=310208010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110210111604/http://scores.espn.go.com/nba/recap?gameId=310208010 |archive-date=February 10, 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref> He scored 37 points and had 23&nbsp;rebounds on February 27 in a 126–123 win over the [[Golden State Warriors]]. It was his fourth 30-point, 20-rebound game of the season, and Love went 18 for 23 from the [[free throw]] line to tie Minnesota's team records for made and attempted free throws.<ref>{{cite news|title=Kevin Love's 46th straight double-double helps Wolves snap skid |agency=[[Associated Press]] |date=February 27, 2011 |publisher=ESPN |url=http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/recap?gameId=310227016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110301083531/http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/recap?gameId=310227016 |archive-date=March 1, 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref> On March 13, Love's consecutive double-double streak ended at 53 games in a loss to the [[Golden State Warriors]].<ref name=ap_05132011>{{cite news |title=Kevin Love's double-double streak ends at 53 in Wolves' loss against Warriors |publisher=ESPN |agency=Associated Press |date=March 13, 2011 |url=http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/recap?gameId=310313009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110315123721/http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/recap?gameId=310313009|url-status=dead|archive-date=March 15, 2011}}</ref> It was the longest streak since the [[ABA–NBA merger]] in 1976,<ref name="KevinLoveSetsRecord">{{cite news |title=Kevin Love passes Moses Malone |date=March 9, 2011 |agency=Associated Press |publisher=ESPN |url=https://www.espn.com/nba/news/story?id=6199509 |access-date=March 9, 2011}}</ref> surpassing Malone's 51-game streak from 1979 to 1980.<ref>{{cite news |title=Trevor Ariza, Chris Paul lift Hornets past reeling Timberwolves |date=February 25, 2011 |agency=Associated Press |publisher=ESPN |url=http://scores.espn.go.com/nba/recap?gameId=310225016 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120723151951/http://scores.espn.go.com/nba/recap?gameId=310225016 |url-status=dead |archive-date=July 23, 2012 |access-date=February 26, 2011|quote= Malone also had a 51-game run from 1979–80.}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Beilby |first=Jim |title=Grizzlies-Wolves notebook |date=February 23, 2011 |publisher=NBA |url=http://www.nba.com/games/20110223/MEMMIN/gameinfo.html |access-date=February 25, 2011|quote=The next longest streak is also Malone's, who tallied a 51 game streak of double-doubles spanning the 1978–79 and 1979–80 seasons.}}</ref> Love was two short of [[Elvin Hayes]]'s streak of 55 consecutive double-doubles set in the 1973–74 season.<ref name=ap_05132011/> According to the [[Elias Sports Bureau]], [[Wilt Chamberlain]] holds the record with 227 consecutive double-doubles from 1964 to 1967. The NBA does not recognize the double-double as an official statistic.<ref>{{cite news|last=Narducci |first=Marc |title=Love's mastery of the double-double could be troublesome for 76ers |date=March 4, 2011 |newspaper=[[The Philadelphia Inquirer]] |url=http://articles.philly.com/2011-03-04/sports/28653445_1_sixers-coach-doug-collins-kevin-love-sixers-swingman-andre-iguodala |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120330032156/http://articles.philly.com/2011-03-04/sports/28653445_1_sixers-coach-doug-collins-kevin-love-sixers-swingman-andre-iguodala |archive-date=March 30, 2012 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Elias Says... |date=March 10, 2011 |publisher=ESPN |agency=[[Elias Sports Bureau]] |url=http://espn.go.com/espn/elias?date=20110310 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121106055814/http://espn.go.com/espn/elias?date=20110310 |archive-date=November 6, 2012 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Love suffered a strained left groin on March 20 against Sacramento.<ref>{{cite news |title=Kevin Love could miss rest of season |date=March 24, 2011 |agency=[[Associated Press]] |publisher=ESPN |url=https://www.espn.com/nba/news/story?id=6255690 |access-date=March 24, 2011 |quote=Love sat out Thursday night's game against Dallas after he was hurt in a 127–95 home loss to Sacramento on Sunday.}}</ref> He missed the final six games and nine of the last 11 games of the season due to the injury.<ref name=ap_04132011>{{cite news|title=Rockets send Timberwolves to 15th straight loss |date=April 13, 2011 |agency=[[Associated Press]] |publisher=ESPN |url=http://espn.go.com/nba/recap?gameId=310413016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110417164740/http://espn.go.com/nba/recap?gameId=310413016 |archive-date=April 17, 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Rockets-Timberwolves Preview&nbsp;– April 12, 2011 |date=April 12, 2011 |agency=[[Associated Press]] |work=CBSSports.com |url=http://www.cbssports.com/nba/gametracker/preview/NBA_20110413_HOU@MIN/rocketstimberwolves-preview |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120310133701/http://www.cbssports.com/nba/gametracker/preview/NBA_20110413_HOU@MIN/rocketstimberwolves-preview |archive-date=March 10, 2012 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

Love [[List of National Basketball Association annual rebounding leaders|led the NBA in rebounding]], averaging 15.2&nbsp;per game.<ref name=ap_04132011/> He won the [[NBA Most Improved Player Award]] after increasing his points per game by 44 percent and his rebounds per game by 38 percent over his previous season. Love established career highs in rebounding, scoring (20.2), assists (2.5), double-doubles (64), field goal percentage (.470), free throw shooting (.850), and minutes played (35.8). He became the first player to average at least 20 points and 15 rebounds in a season since Malone in the {{nbay|1982|app=season}}.<ref name=nba_04212011>{{cite press release |publisher=NBA Media Ventures, LLC |title=Wolves' Love wins Kia Most Improved Player Award |date=April 21, 2011 |url=http://www.nba.com/2011/news/04/21/love-most-improved/index.html?ls=iref:nbahpt1 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110424105246/http://www.nba.com/2011/news/04/21/love-most-improved/index.html?ls=iref:nbahpt1 |archive-date=April 24, 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref> While amassing double-doubles, a statistical hallmark of traditional [[Power forward (basketball)|power forwards]], Love was also evolving into a [[stretch four]], making a career-high 41.7 percent of his 3's, while upping his three-point attempts to almost three per game.<ref name=nba_04212011/><ref>[[#goldsberry2019|Goldsberry 2019]], p. 165.</ref> He emerged as the new face of the franchise since Garnett was traded from the Timberwolves to the [[Boston Celtics]] in 2007.<ref name=ap_04212011>{{cite news|title=Report: Kevin Love wins Most Improved |date=April 21, 2011 |publisher=ESPN |agency=[[Associated Press]] |url=https://www.espn.com/nba/news/story?id=6399422 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110424092438/http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=6399422 |archive-date=April 24, 2011 |url-status=live }}</ref> In 2010–11, Love's No. 42 was the Wolves' top-selling jersey; sales were comparable to [[Kevin Garnett]]'s when he was in his prime.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.twincities.com/sports/ci_18315447?source=rss&nclick_check=1|title=Shooter Now: Rubio's No. 9 jersey expected to be most anticipated seller in Timberwolves' history|last=Walters|first=Charley|date=June 20, 2011|publisher=twincities.com|access-date=June 20, 2011}}</ref>

====First All-NBA selection (2011–2012)====
[[File:Kevin Love March 2012.jpg|thumb|upright|left|Love in 2012]]
This was Love's contract season. He had stated that he wanted to be the Timberwolves' "[[designated player (NBA)|designated player]]" for a five-year deal <ref name=spears>{{cite news|last=Spears |first=Marc J. |title=Kevin Love losing patience with Timberwolves' losing, wants roster upgraded |date=July 9, 2012 |publisher=yahoo |url=https://sports.yahoo.com/news/nba--kevin-love-losing-patience-with-timberwolves--losing.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120711142330/http://sports.yahoo.com/news/nba--kevin-love-losing-patience-with-timberwolves--losing.html |archive-date=July 11, 2012 |url-status=live }}</ref> during the offseason (a designated player offer must be made prior to the final year qualifying offer), but he was denied this contract by the Timberwolves.<ref name="sports.yahoo.com">Wojnarowski, Adrian. "[https://sports.yahoo.com/news/nba--kevin-love-remains-unsure-about-timberwolves--future-200009299.html Kevin Love unsure about Timberwolves' future]" sports.yahoo.com. Accessed September 30, 2013</ref> Contract negotiations became tense, leading to an incident where David Kahn (team GM) "marched" into the players training room and "thrust [...] a contract offer sheet into his hands". Love responded, "I'm not the one to always follow professional protocol – but I do know what it is, even at 24 years old".<ref name="sports.yahoo.com"/> They eventually settled on four years with a player option for Love to opt out after the third year.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Stein |first1=Marc |last2=Broussard |first2=Chris |title=Kevin Love, Wolves agree to deal |publisher=ESPN |date=January 25, 2012 |url=https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/7502324/kevin-love-minnesota-timberwolves-reach-four-year-deal-opt-sources-say |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120127212317/http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/7502324/kevin-love-minnesota-timberwolves-reach-four-year-deal-opt-sources-say |archive-date=January 27, 2012 |url-status=live }}</ref> The four-year contract extension worth up to $62&nbsp;million was finally agreed to, and signed, on January 25, allowing Love to become an unrestricted free agent as early as 2015. Love has stated that he felt very strongly that he should have had a five-year designated player extension, and would have accepted the offer, had it been offered to him.<ref>Stein, Mark. "[https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/7502324/kevin-love-minnesota-timberwolves-reach-four-year-deal-opt-out Kevin Love, Wolves agree to deal]". sports.yahoo.com. Accessed September 30, 2013.</ref>

Love followed up this new contract extension the subsequent night with a 31-point performance in a win over the [[Dallas Mavericks]].<ref name="scores.espn.go.com">{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/nba/boxscore?gameId=320125006 |title=Minnesota Timberwolves vs. Dallas Mavericks – Box Score – January 25, 2012 |publisher=ESPN |date=January 25, 2012 |access-date=July 26, 2012}}</ref> In January 2012, Love scored 30 points in three consecutive games for the first time in his career.<ref name=ap_01162012>{{cite news|title=Kevin Love, strong backcourt lead Wolves past Kings |date=January 16, 2012 |publisher=ESPN |agency=Associated Press |url=http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/recap?gameId=320116016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120121083301/http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/recap?gameId=320116016 |archive-date=January 21, 2012 |url-status=dead }}</ref> He began the season recording 15 straight double-doubles, the first player to do so since [[Hakeem Olajuwon]] in the beginning of the [[1992–93 NBA season]].<ref name=ap_01162012/> On January 20, Love made a three-point [[buzzer beater]] to defeat the [[Los Angeles Clippers]].

On February 6, Love was given a two-game suspension for stepping on the face of Houston's [[Luis Scola]].<ref>{{cite web|author=Yahoo! Sports 7 hours, 48 minutes ago |url=https://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news;_ylt=Avou.rnRPHptP2ct1YhjOwPQPaB4?slug=teamreports-2012-nba-min |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120714040219/http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news;_ylt=Avou.rnRPHptP2ct1YhjOwPQPaB4?slug=teamreports-2012-nba-min |url-status=dead |archive-date=July 14, 2012 |title=Timberwolves Team Report – NBA – Yahoo! Sports |publisher=Sports.yahoo.com |access-date=July 26, 2012 }}</ref> After the February 4 game, Love had said, "I mean, he fell down after the play. He just kind of laid there and... I just happened to be there. I had nowhere to go. I got kind of tripped up and I just had nowhere to step. He was right there... and it happened to be his face."<ref name="scores.espn.go.com"/> On February 25, Love participated in the [[Three-Point Contest]] and defeated [[Kevin Durant]] in the final tie-breaking round to win the contest. Love scored a season high 42 points in a win over the [[Portland Trail Blazers]] on March 3.<ref>{{cite web|location=Rose Garden, Portland, Oregon |url=https://www.espn.com/nba/boxscore?gameId=320303022 |title=Minnesota Timberwolves vs. Portland Trail Blazers – Box Score – March 03, 2012 |publisher=ESPN |date=March 3, 2012 |access-date=July 26, 2012}}</ref> Love set a franchise record for most games scoring over 30 points in a season on March 12 in a victory over the [[Phoenix Suns]].<ref>{{cite web|location=US Airways Center, Phoenix, Arizona |url=http://scores.espn.go.com/nba/recap?gameId=320312021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120313055402/http://scores.espn.go.com/nba/recap?gameId=320312021 |url-status=dead |archive-date=March 13, 2012 |title=Minnesota Timberwolves vs. Phoenix Suns – Recap – March 12, 2012 |publisher=ESPN |date=March 12, 2012 |access-date=July 26, 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nba.com/games/20120312/MINPHX/gameinfo.html?ls=iref:nbahpt2 |title=FINAL |publisher=NBA |access-date=July 26, 2012}}</ref> He also had a career-high 51 points in a 149–140 double overtime loss to the [[Oklahoma City Thunder]]. The following game, Love erupted for 30 points and grabbed 21 rebounds in a win over the [[Denver Nuggets]].<ref>{{cite web|location=Target Center, Minneapolis, Minnesota |url=https://www.espn.com/nba/boxscore?gameId=320325016 |title=Denver Nuggets vs. Minnesota Timberwolves – Box Score – March 25, 2012 |publisher=ESPN |date=March 25, 2012 |access-date=July 26, 2012}}</ref> For the season, Love was named to the [[All-NBA]] second team and finished sixth in MVP voting.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.foxsportsnorth.com/05/12/12/Wolves-Love-finishes-sixth-in-NBA-MVP-vo/landing_timberwolves.html?blockID=728050&amp;feedID=5930 |title=Wolves' Love finishes sixth in NBA MVP voting |publisher=Foxsportsnorth.com |date=May 12, 2012 |access-date=July 26, 2012}}</ref> In the offseason, Love voiced frustration with Minnesota for not being a playoff team. The Timberwolves finished with the [[Western Conference (NBA)|Western Conference]]'s fourth-worst record at 26–40, which was still the franchise's most wins since the [[2006–07 Minnesota Timberwolves season|2006–07 season]].<ref name=spears/><ref>{{cite news|title=Kevin Love: 'I want to win' |date=July 9, 2012 |publisher=ESPN |url=https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/8143084/kevin-love-losing-patience-minnesota-timberwolves-woeful-ways |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120711223454/http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/8143084/kevin-love-losing-patience-minnesota-timberwolves-woeful-ways |archive-date=July 11, 2012 |url-status=live }}</ref>

====Injury (2012–2013)====
On October 17, 2012, it was reported that Love would miss six to eight weeks after breaking the third and fourth [[metacarpal]]s on his right (shooting) hand during a morning workout.<ref>{{cite news|title=Timberwolves' Kevin Love out 6-8 weeks with broken hand|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nba/2012/10/17/timberwolves-kevinlove-out-6-8-weeks-broken-hand/1639713/?dlvrit=206567|work=USA Today|access-date=October 17, 2012|date=October 17, 2012}}</ref> Love surprised fans by returning to the Wolves on November 21, just five weeks after sustaining the injury.<ref>{{cite web|title=Kevin Love makes season debut|url=https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/8661487/kevin-love-minnesota-timberwolves-activated-early-starts-wednesday-denver-nuggets|agency=Associated Press|access-date=November 21, 2012}}</ref> He played 35 minutes and scored 34 points while grabbing 14 rebounds against the [[Denver Nuggets]]. In December, Love would score 36 points against the [[Cleveland Cavaliers]], yet he continued to voice his frustration with the team's front office.<ref name="yahoo">{{cite web|url=https://sports.yahoo.com/news/nba--kevin-love-remains-unsure-about-timberwolves--future-200009299.html|title=Kevin Love unsure about Timberwolves' future – Yahoo! Sports|date=December 11, 2012 |publisher=sports.yahoo.com|access-date=November 11, 2014}}</ref>

On January 3, 2013, Love refractured his shooting hand in a game against the [[Denver Nuggets]]. It was announced by the Timberwolves that Love's injury would require surgery and he was expected to miss an additional eight to ten weeks of playing time.<ref>{{cite web|title=Wolves Forward Kevin Love To Undergo Surgery On Right Hand|url=http://www.nba.com/timberwolves/wolves-forward-kevin-love-undergo-surgery-right-hand |work= NBA.com |access-date= January 10, 2013}}</ref> Prior to the second fracture, Love was shooting just 21.7 percent on three-pointers and a career-low 35 percent from the field, leading some to speculate that he had returned too quickly from his original injury.<ref>{{cite news |title= Kevin Love out 8-10 weeks for Timberwolves with broken hand |date= January 9, 2013 |newspaper= USA Today |agency= Associated Press |url= https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nba/twolves/2013/01/09/kevin-love-injury-broken-right-hand-minnesota-timberwolves/1821959/ |access-date= January 11, 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last= Aschburner |first=Steve |title= Rescue Timberwolves? Rubio's return could rev them up |url= http://hangtime.blogs.nba.com/2012/12/15/rescue-timberwolves-rubios-return-could-rev-them-up/ |work= NBA.com |access-date= January 10, 2013}}</ref> Love himself admitted that the hand remained an issue throughout the season, saying "It's just the hand being so idle, having to strengthen it. Getting the ball to feel right in my hand has been such a struggle since getting back on the court a couple weeks ago."<ref>{{cite web|title=Love's hand is healing; shot still hurting|website = [[Star Tribune]]|url=http://www.startribune.com/sports/wolves/182299671.html?refer=y|access-date=January 10, 2013}}</ref>

====Final year in Minnesota (2013–2014)====
[[File:20140101 Kevin Love.JPG|thumb|upright|Love shooting a free throw in 2014]]
On February 22, 2014, Love recorded his first career triple double with 37 points, 12 rebounds, and a career-high 10 assists in a 121–104 win over the Utah Jazz.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nba.com/games/20140222/MINUTA/gameinfo.html|title=Timberwolves at Jazz|website=[[NBA.com]]|access-date=February 23, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150610174528/http://www.nba.com/games/20140222/MINUTA/gameinfo.html|archive-date=June 10, 2015|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{YouTube|Y-SEXM8Olqg|Kevin Love Notches His First Career Triple-Double in Utah!}}</ref> On March 9, Love, with a 3-pointer midway through the third quarter of Minnesota's 104–111 loss to the Raptors, broke the Timberwolves' franchise record for 3-pointers in a season. With that make (143), he passed Rashad McCants' record of 142 in the 2007–08 season.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://nba.nbcsports.com/2014/03/10/kevin-love-sets-minnesota-timberwolves-single-season-3-pointer-record/|title=Kevin Love sets Minnesota Timberwolves' single-season 3-pointer record|first=Dan|last=Feldman|date=March 10, 2014}}</ref> On March 28, he recorded his second career triple double with 22 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists in a 143–107 win over the Los Angeles Lakers.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nba.com/games/20140328/LALMIN/gameinfo.html|title=Lakers at Timberwolves|website=[[NBA.com]]|access-date=March 29, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150508172908/http://www.nba.com/games/20140328/LALMIN/gameinfo.html|archive-date=May 8, 2015|url-status=dead}}</ref> On April 2, 2014, Love recorded his third career triple double with 24 points, 16 rebounds and 10 assists in a 102–88 win over the Memphis Grizzlies.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nba.com/games/20140402/MEMMIN/gameinfo.html|title=Grizzlies at Timberwolves|website=[[NBA.com]]|access-date=April 3, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150628100923/http://www.nba.com/games/20140402/MEMMIN/gameinfo.html|archive-date=June 28, 2015|url-status=dead}}</ref> Love set an NBA record in 2013–14, becoming the first player in NBA history to record 2,000 points, 900 rebounds and 100 3-pointers in a single season.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2032079-kevin-loves-career-year-sets-historic-nba-record|title=Kevin Love's Career Year Sets Historic NBA Record|first=Stephen|last=Babb|website=[[Bleacher Report]]}}</ref> He was named to the All-NBA Second Team for the second time in his career.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Kevin Love Named To 2011-12 All-NBA Second Team |url=https://www.nba.com/timberwolves/news/kevin-love-named-2011-12-all-nba-second-team |access-date=2024-02-20 |website=www.nba.com |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Kevin Love Named to 2013-14 All-NBA Second Team |url=https://www.nba.com/timberwolves/news/kevin-love-named-2013-14-all-nba-second-team |access-date=2024-02-20 |website=www.nba.com |language=en}}</ref>

===Cleveland Cavaliers (2014–2023)===
====Big Three formation and first playoff (2014–2015)====
[[File:Kevin Love (15847116411).jpg|thumb|upright|Love with the Cavaliers in 2014]]
On August 23, 2014, the Timberwolves traded Love to the [[Cleveland Cavaliers]] in a three-team trade. The Timberwolves received [[Andrew Wiggins]] and [[Anthony Bennett (basketball)|Anthony Bennett]] from Cleveland, and [[Thaddeus Young]] from the [[Philadelphia 76ers]], while the Philadelphia 76ers received [[Luc Mbah a Moute]] and [[Alexey Shved]] from Minnesota and a 2015 first-round draft pick from Cleveland.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/11397368/kevin-love-traded-minnesota-timberwolves-cleveland-cavaliers|title=Kevin Love traded to Cavaliers|publisher=ESPN|date=August 23, 2014|access-date=August 23, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nba.com/cavaliers/releases/love-trade-140823|title=Cavs Acquire All-Star Forward Kevin Love|date=August 23, 2014|work=NBA.com|publisher=Turner Sports Interactive, Inc.|access-date=August 23, 2014}}</ref> On February 8, 2015, Love scored a season-high 32 points on 11-of-18 shooting in a 120–105 win over the [[Los Angeles Lakers]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nba.com/games/20150208/LALCLE/gameinfo.html|title=Love gets message from LeBron, scores 32 in Cavs' win|date=February 8, 2015|work=NBA.com|publisher=Turner Sports Interactive, Inc.|access-date=February 8, 2015}}</ref> On February 24, he scored 24 points on eight three-pointers, tying his career best, as he helped the Cavaliers defeat the [[Detroit Pistons]], 102–93.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nba.com/games/20150224/CLEDET/gameinfo.html|title=Love hits 8 3-pointers, Cavaliers beat Pistons 102-93|date=February 24, 2015|work=NBA.com|publisher=Turner Sports Interactive, Inc.|access-date=February 25, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150226025510/http://www.nba.com/games/20150224/CLEDET/gameinfo.html|archive-date=February 26, 2015|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Love helped the Cavaliers win 34 of their final 43 games to finish the regular season as the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference with a 53–29 overall record.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cleveland.com/cavs/index.ssf/2015/04/cleveland_cavaliers_open_the_p.html|title=Cleveland Cavaliers open postseason as odds on favorite to win the Eastern Conference, Las Vegas says|date=April 16, 2015}}</ref> In his first career playoff game on April 19, Love recorded 19 points and 12 rebounds in a 113–100 win over the [[Boston Celtics]] in Game 1 of their first-round playoff match-up.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nba.com/games/20150419/BOSCLE/gameinfo.html|title=Celtics at Cavaliers|website=[[NBA.com]]|access-date=April 20, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160409062337/http://www.nba.com/games/20150419/BOSCLE/gameinfo.html|archive-date=April 9, 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref> Cleveland swept the series 4–0, but Love missed the remainder of the playoffs after he dislocated his left shoulder in the first quarter of Game 4 when he got tangled with the Celtics' [[Kelly Olynyk]] while battling for a loose ball. Love called it a "bush-league play", while Olynyk said he would "never intentionally hurt someone."<ref name=haynes_04292015>{{cite news|last=Haynes |first=Chris |title=Kevin Love undergoes surgery on dislocated shoulder, out 4-6 months |date=April 29, 2015 |work=Cleveland.com |url=http://www.cleveland.com/cavs/index.ssf/2015/04/kevin_love_undergoes_surgery_o.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150502214511/http://www.cleveland.com/cavs/index.ssf/2015/04/kevin_love_undergoes_surgery_o.html |archive-date=May 2, 2015 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Haynes |first=Chris |title=Kevin Love shoulder injury: Cleveland Cavaliers forward out for entire Eastern Conference semifinals |date=April 27, 2015 |work=Cleveland.com |url=http://www.cleveland.com/cavs/index.ssf/2015/04/kevin_love_shoulder_injury_cle.html#incart_2box |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150428161822/http://www.cleveland.com/cavs/index.ssf/2015/04/kevin_love_shoulder_injury_cle.html |archive-date=April 28, 2015 |url-status=live }}</ref> The league ruled that Olynyk had "yanked Love's arm down", and suspended Olynyk for one game.<ref>{{cite press release|title=Smith, Olynyk suspended; Perkins fined |date=April 27, 2015 |publisher=NBA |url=http://www.nba.com/2015/news/04/27/smith-olynyk-suspended-perkins-fined/index.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150429084738/http://www.nba.com/2015/news/04/27/smith-olynyk-suspended-perkins-fined/index.html |archive-date=April 29, 2015 |url-status=live }}</ref> Love underwent surgery to repair his shoulder and the team said he would need four to six months to recover.<ref name=haynes_04292015/> Without Love, the Cavaliers reached the [[2015 NBA Finals]] but were defeated by the [[Golden State Warriors]] in six games. On June 24, 2015, Love opted out of the final year of his contract, worth $16.7 million in 2015–16, to return to free agency.<ref>{{cite web|last=Stein|first=Marc|url=https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/13142511/kevin-love-opts-contract-cleveland-cavaliers-sources|title=Kevin Love opts out of deal with Cavaliers|date=June 24, 2015|publisher=ESPN|access-date=June 25, 2015}}</ref>

====NBA championship (2015–2016)====
[[File:Kyrie Irving (24009454364).jpg|thumb|right|Love screening for [[Kyrie Irving]] in 2016]]
On July 9, 2015, Love re-signed with the Cavaliers on a five-year, $110 million contract.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nba.com/cavaliers/releases/love-signing-150709|title=Cavaliers Re-sign Forward Kevin Love|work=NBA.com|date=July 9, 2015|access-date=July 11, 2015}}</ref> On November 23, 2015, he scored 27 of his season-high 34 points in the first half of the Cavaliers' 117–103 win over the [[Orlando Magic]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nba.com/games/20151123/ORLCLE/gameinfo.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151030163143/http://www.nba.com/games/20151123/ORLCLE/gameinfo.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=October 30, 2015|title=LeBron joins "Big O" on elite list, leads Cavs past Magic|work=NBA.com|date=November 23, 2015|access-date=November 24, 2015}}</ref> On January 29, 2016, he had his best game since November 23, scoring 29 points on 9-of-19 shooting in a 114–106 win over the Detroit Pistons. That game also marked the first time all season that Love, [[LeBron James]] and [[Kyrie Irving]] each reached 20 points in a game.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nba.com/games/20160129/CLEDET/gameinfo.html|title=Love, Irving sharp as Cavaliers beat Pistons 114-106|work=NBA.com|date=January 29, 2016|access-date=January 30, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160130074542/http://www.nba.com/games/20160129/CLEDET/gameinfo.html|archive-date=January 30, 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref>

The Cavaliers finished the regular season as the first seed in the Eastern Conference with a 57–25 record. In the first round of the playoffs, the Cavaliers faced the eighth-seeded Detroit Pistons, and in a Game 1 win on April 17, Love recorded playoff career highs with 28 points and 13 rebounds.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nba.com/games/20160417/DETCLE/gameinfo.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160417205636/http://www.nba.com/games/20160417/DETCLE/gameinfo.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=April 17, 2016|title=Big 3 back together, lead Cavs to 106-101 win over Pistons|work=NBA.com|date=April 17, 2016|access-date=April 18, 2016}}</ref> Love helped the Cavaliers advance through to the Eastern Conference Finals where they faced the Toronto Raptors. He struggled in Games 3 and 4 of the series, scoring just 15 total points, before bouncing back in Games 5 and 6 to help the Cavaliers defeat the Raptors 4–2.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nba.com/games/20160527/CLETOR/gameinfo.html|title=James scores 33, Cavaliers reach second straight NBA Finals|work=NBA.com|date=May 27, 2016|access-date=May 27, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170609053643/http://www.nba.com/games/20160527/CLETOR/gameinfo.html|archive-date=June 9, 2017|url-status=dead}}</ref> The win advanced them through to the [[2016 NBA Finals|NBA Finals]], where they faced the defending champion [[Golden State Warriors]]. Love's struggles in the NBA Finals were well documented. After recording 17 points and 13 rebounds in a Game 1 loss, a concussion suffered in Game 2 forced him to miss Game 3. His return in Game 4 saw him come off the bench to score 11 points, but with a 108–97 loss, the Cavaliers fell behind 3–1 in the series. Game 5 saw Love return to the starting line-up, but despite playing 33 minutes, he managed just two points as the Cavaliers forced a Game 6 with a 112–97 win. Game 6 also saw Love struggle, but the Cavaliers managed a 115–101 win to force a Game 7. The Cavaliers won Games 5 and 6 with Love contributing just nine total points on 2-of-8 shooting.<ref>{{cite web|last=Siddiqi|first=DJ|url=https://247sports.com/article/lebron-james-no-one-will-be-criticizing-kevin-love-if-we-win-game-7-45872838/|title=LeBron James: If we win, no one will criticize Kevin Love|work=247sports.com|date=June 18, 2016|access-date=June 19, 2016}}</ref> With the series tied a 3–3, Love managed 9 points and 14 rebounds in Game 7 to help the Cavaliers win the series 4–3, as they became the first team to rally from a 3–1 finals deficit, beating the Warriors 93–89 in Game 7 to end a 52-year major sports championship drought in Cleveland.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nba.com/games/20160619/CLEGSW/gameinfo.html|title=James and Cavaliers win thrilling NBA Finals Game 7, 93-89|work=NBA.com|date=June 19, 2016|access-date=June 19, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160619134342/http://www.nba.com/games/20160619/CLEGSW/gameinfo.html|archive-date=June 19, 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref> Many credited Love's defense on league MVP [[Stephen Curry]] in the final minutes of Game 7 as a main contributor to Cleveland sealing the win late in the championship clinching victory.<ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.cleveland.com/cavs/2023/02/kevin-loves-cleveland-legacy-will-haunt-stephen-curry-forever.html|title=Kevin Love's Cleveland legacy will haunt Stephen Curry forever|work=cleveland.com|date=February 18, 2023|access-date=November 25, 2023}}</ref>

====Coming up short (2016–2018)====
On October 25, 2016, after receiving his first championship ring before the season opener, Love recorded 23 points and 12 rebounds in a 117–88 win over the [[New York Knicks]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/nba/recap?gameId=400899375|title=James has triple-double as Cavs rout Knicks 117-88 in opener|work=ESPN.com|date=October 25, 2016|access-date=October 25, 2016}}</ref> On November 3, he scored a then season-high 26 points in a 128–122 win over the [[Boston Celtics]], helping the Cavaliers go 5–0 for the first time since 1976–77 when they started 8–0.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/nba/recap?gameId=400899518|title=Cavaliers stay unbeaten with 128-122 win over Celtics|work=ESPN.com|date=November 3, 2016|access-date=November 4, 2016}}</ref> On November 23, he scored 40 points, including an NBA-record 34 in the first quarter, to help the Cavaliers defeat the [[Portland Trail Blazers]] 137–125. His 34 first-quarter points were the second most all-time in a quarter; [[Klay Thompson]] of the [[Golden State Warriors]] set the record at 37 in the third quarter on January 23, 2015.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/nba/recap?gameId=400899665|title=Love scores 40, including 34 in 1st, James has triple-double|work=ESPN.com|date=November 23, 2016|access-date=November 24, 2016}}</ref> Five days later, he was named Eastern Conference Player of the Week for games played Monday, November 21 through Sunday, November 27. Love led the Cavaliers to a 3–0 week behind an East-leading 30.7 points per game.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nba.com/article/2016/11/28/kevin-love-kevin-durant-players-week|title=Kevin Love, Kevin Durant named Players of the Week|work=NBA.com|date=November 28, 2016|access-date=November 29, 2016}}</ref> On December 25, he scored 20 points in 109–108 win over the Warriors, recording his 10,000th career point in the process.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nba.com/cavaliers/features/recap-warriors-161225|title=Mr. Fourth Quarter Caps Christmas Day Comeback Classic|work=NBA.com|date=December 25, 2016|access-date=December 26, 2016}}</ref>

On January 26, 2017, Love was named an Eastern Conference All-Star reserve for the [[2017 NBA All-Star Game]].<ref>{{cite web|last=Whitaker|first=Lang|url=http://www.nba.com/article/2017/01/26/nba-all-star-reserves-2017-revealed|title=Warriors, Cavaliers dominate selections for NBA All-Star 2017 as reserves are revealed|work=NBA.com|date=January 26, 2017|access-date=January 27, 2017}}</ref> However, on February 14, 2017, he underwent arthroscopic surgery to remove a loose body from his left knee, and was subsequently ruled out for approximately six weeks, thus missing the All-Star Game.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nba.com/cavaliers/releases/status-update-klove-170214|title=Kevin Love Status Update - February 14, 2017|work=NBA.com|date=February 14, 2017|access-date=February 14, 2017}}</ref> On March 16, he played his first game for the Cavaliers since February 11 and had 10 points and nine rebounds in 19 minutes in a 91–83 win over the [[Utah Jazz]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/nba/recap?gameId=400900409|title=Love returns in win over Jazz, but 2 more Cavs injured|work=ESPN.com|date=March 16, 2017|access-date=March 17, 2017}}</ref>

In Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Boston Celtics on May 17, Love scored a playoff career-high 32 points and had 12 rebounds to help the Cavaliers improve to 9–0 in the first three rounds of the playoffs, defeating the Celtics 117–104.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/nba/recap?gameId=400953694|title=Cavaliers rout Celtics as LeBron James, Kevin Love combine for 70|work=ESPN.com|date=May 17, 2017|access-date=May 17, 2017}}</ref> With 15 points in Game 5 of the series, Love helped the Cavaliers defeat the Celtics 135–102 to claim their third straight Eastern Conference title and a return trip to the NBA Finals.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/nba/recap?gameId=400953698|title=James passes Jordan, Cavs back in Finals with 135-102 win|work=ESPN.com|date=May 25, 2017|access-date=May 25, 2017}}</ref> After going down 3–0 in the [[2017 NBA Finals]], Love made six 3-pointers and had 23 points in Game 4 to help Cleveland extend the series and avoid a sweep with a 137–116 win over the Warriors.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/nba/recap?gameId=400954513|title=LeBron, Cavs end Warriors' perfect postseason run in Game 4|work=ESPN.com|date=June 9, 2017|access-date=June 10, 2017}}</ref> The Cavaliers went on to lose to the Warriors in Game 5, thus losing the series 4–1.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/06/13/sports/golden-state-warriors-win-nba-championship.html|title=Warriors Win N.B.A. Title, Avenging Themselves Against the Cavaliers|date=June 13, 2017|work=[[The New York Times]]|access-date=October 5, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/live/2017/jun/12/nba-finals-live-golden-state-warriors-cleveland-cavaliers-game-5|title=NBA finals: Golden State Warriors win title against Cavaliers – as it happened|date=June 13, 2017|work=Guardian|access-date=October 5, 2017}}</ref>

In the Cavaliers' season opener on October 17, 2017, Love scored 15 points in a 102–99 win over the [[Boston Celtics]]. He hit a critical 3-pointer with 46.3 seconds left to put Cleveland up 102–98.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/nba/recap?gameId=400974437|title=Hayward breaks ankle, Cavs hold off Celtics 102-99 in opener|work=ESPN.com|date=October 17, 2017|access-date=October 17, 2017}}</ref> On November 7, 2017, he had a then season-best game with 32 points and 16 rebounds in a 124–119 win over the [[Milwaukee Bucks]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/nba/recap?gameId=400974900|title=Love, LeBron push Cavaliers past Bucks 124-119|work=ESPN.com|date=November 7, 2017|access-date=November 7, 2017}}</ref> On November 28, 2017, he scored 32 of his 38 points in the first half of the Cavaliers' 108–97 win over the [[Miami Heat]]. He scored 22 points in the first quarter and finished 10 of 16 from the field and 14 of 17 on free throws.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/nba/recap?gameId=400975049|title=Love scores 38, LeBron ejected as Cavs beat Heat 108-97|work=ESPN.com|date=November 28, 2017|access-date=November 28, 2017}}</ref> On December 25, 2017, he had a game-high 31 points and a season-best 18 rebounds in a 99–92 loss to the [[Golden State Warriors]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/nba/recap?gameId=400974446|title=Durant delivers on both ends, Warriors beat Cavaliers 99-92|work=ESPN.com|date=December 25, 2017|access-date=December 25, 2017}}</ref> On January 30, 2018, Love left the Cavaliers' game against the [[Detroit Pistons]] with a fracture in his left hand.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nba.com/article/2018/01/30/cleveland-cavaliers-kevin-love-suffers-left-hand-injury#/|title=Kevin Love suffers broken left hand, reportedly could miss 6-8 weeks|work=NBA.com|date=January 30, 2018|access-date=January 30, 2018}}</ref> He missed six weeks and 21 games with the injury, returning to action on March 19 against the Bucks. He scored 18 points in 25 minutes in a 124–117 win.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/nba/recap?gameId=400975796|title=LeBron gets triple-double, Cavs beat Bucks without Lue|work=ESPN.com|date=March 19, 2018|access-date=March 19, 2018}}</ref> Two days later, he recorded 23 points and 12 rebounds in a 132–129 win over the [[Toronto Raptors]]. He knocked down his 1,000th career 3-pointer during the game.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/nba/recap?gameId=400975811|title=LeBron scores 35, carries Cavaliers past Raptors 132-129|work=ESPN.com|date=March 21, 2018|access-date=March 22, 2018}}</ref> On April 1, 2018, he recorded his 400th career double-double with 13 points and 13 rebounds in a 98–87 win over the [[Dallas Mavericks]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/nba/recap?gameId=400975895|title=LeBron, Cavs struggle before beating Mavericks 98-87|work=ESPN.com|date=April 1, 2018|access-date=April 1, 2018}}</ref> In Game 2 of the Cavaliers' second-round playoff series against the Raptors, Love had his best game of the postseason with 31 points and 11 rebounds in a 128–110 win, helping Cleveland take a 2–0 lead in the series. Love missed matching his career playoff high by one point.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/nba/recap?gameId=401031714|title=James scores 43 as Cavs beat Raptors 128-110 in Game 2|work=ESPN.com|date=May 3, 2018|access-date=May 3, 2018}}</ref> In Game 4 against Toronto, Love scored 23 points in a 128–93 series-clinching win. During the game, Love became the fourth player in Cleveland history with 500 career playoff rebounds, joining [[LeBron James]], [[Tristan Thompson]] and [[Zydrunas Ilgauskas]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/nba/recap?gameId=401031716|title=LeBroom: James, Cavs sweep Raptors to make conference finals|work=ESPN.com|date=May 7, 2018|access-date=May 7, 2018}}</ref> In Game 1 of the [[2018 NBA Finals|NBA Finals]], Love recorded 21 points and 13 rebounds in a 124–114 overtime loss to the Warriors.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/nba/recap?gameId=401034613|title=Warriors withstand James' 51 points to win NBA Finals Game 1|work=ESPN.com|date=May 31, 2018|access-date=May 31, 2018}}</ref> The Cavaliers went on to lose the series in four games.

====Injury-plagued years (2018–2021)====
[[File:Kevin Love (46678713645).jpg|thumb|upright|right|Love in 2019]]
In the aftermath of [[LeBron James]]' departure in free agency to the Los Angeles Lakers, the Cavaliers aggressively pushed to secure Love for the long term.<ref name=extension-cavs>{{cite web|last1=Wojnarowski|first1=Adrian|last2=Windhorst|first2=Brian|url=https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/24182860/kevin-love-signs-4-year-120m-extension-cleveland-cavaliers|title=Kevin Love signs 4-year, $120M extension with Cavaliers|work=ESPN.com|date=July 24, 2018|access-date=July 24, 2018}}</ref> On July 24, 2018, Love signed a four-year, $120 million extension with the Cavaliers.<ref name="extension-cavs" /><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nba.com/cavaliers/releases/love-extension-180724|title=Cavs and Love Sign Long-Term Contract Extension|work=NBA.com|date=July 24, 2018|access-date=July 24, 2018}}</ref> He appeared in the first four games of the regular season before being sidelined with an injured left foot.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/nba/recap?gameId=401070744|title=Pistons still unbeaten after 110-103 win over Cleveland|work=ESPN.com|date=October 25, 2018|access-date=November 21, 2018|quote=Love missed the game with a sore left foot...}}</ref> On November 2, Love had surgery to rectify a painful big toe injury on his left foot.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nba.com/cavaliers/releases/status-update-love-181102|title=Kevin Love Undergoes Successful Surgery|work=NBA.com|date=November 2, 2018|access-date=November 2, 2018}}</ref> The injury had bothered him since the preseason opener and affected his ability to walk.<ref name=toe>{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/25334472/kevin-love-cleveland-cavaliers-expects-remain-new-year|title=Kevin Love: Likely won't return to Cavs until after new year|work=ESPN.com|date=November 20, 2018|access-date=November 21, 2018}}</ref> He was initially ruled out for six weeks, but that was later pushed back to the new year.<ref name="toe" /> Love returned to action on February 8, 2019, after missing 50 games. He started and played the first six minutes against the [[Washington Wizards]], scoring four points, before not returning to the game.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/nba/recap?gameId=401071492|title=Portis scores 30 in debut as Wizards beat Cavs 119-106|work=ESPN.com|date=February 8, 2019|access-date=February 8, 2019}}</ref> On February 23, he scored a season-high 32 points in a 112–107 win over the [[Memphis Grizzlies]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/nba/recap?gameId=401071558|title=Love scores season-high 32 as Cavs beat Grizzlies 112-107|work=ESPN.com|date=February 23, 2018|access-date=February 24, 2018}}</ref> For the season, Love attempted 6.7 three-point shots per game, accounting for 52% of his field-goal attempts.<ref name=bigManGame />

In [[2019–20 Cleveland Cavaliers season|2019–20]], Love clashed with new Cleveland head coach [[John Beilein]], who was replaced mid-season by [[J. B. Bickerstaff]]. Love had five 30-point games during the season, finishing with averages of 17.6 points on 45% shooting and 37.4% from 3-point range while adding 9.8 rebounds and 3.2 assists.<ref>{{cite news|first=Chris|last=Fedor|title=Kevin Love let frustration and misery get best of him while plummeting value: Cleveland Cavaliers Season Review|date=July 1, 2020|website=Cleveland.com|url=https://www.cleveland.com/cavs/2020/07/kevin-love-follows-up-miserable-2018-19-season-with-another-cleveland-cavaliers-season-review.html|access-date=January 1, 2021}}</ref>

In the first preseason game of [[2020–21 Cleveland Cavaliers season|2020–21]], Love suffered a calf injury, which caused him to miss the regular season opener. He returned in the second game, but he reaggravated the injury in the third game and was expected to be sidelined 3–4 weeks.<ref>{{cite news|first=Chris|last=Cwik|title=Cavaliers announce Kevin Love will miss 3 to 4 weeks due to calf injury|date=December 30, 2020|website=Yahoo.com|url=https://sports.yahoo.com/cavaliers-announce-kevin-love-will-miss-3-to-4-weeks-due-to-calf-injury-171245090.html|access-date=January 1, 2021}}</ref> On May 12, 2021, Love logged his fifth double-double of the season with a season-high 30 points and 14 rebounds in a 102–94 win over the [[Boston Celtics]], ending the Cavaliers' 11-game losing streak.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Cavaliers' Kevin Love: Scores season-high 30 points|url=https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/basketball/news/cavaliers-kevin-love-scores-season-high-30-points/|access-date=2021-05-12|website=CBSSports.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Celtics vs. Cavaliers - Game Recap - May 12, 2021 - ESPN|url=https://www.espn.com/nba/recap/_/gameId/401307853|access-date=2021-05-12|website=ESPN.com}}</ref>

====Sixth Man of the Year runner-up and buyout (2021–2023)====
[[File:Kevin Love - 52591001920.jpg|thumb|Love in 2022]]
In [[2021–22 Cleveland Cavaliers season|2021–22]], Love became a reserve for the first time since early in his career.<ref>{{cite magazine|first=Chris|last=Mannix|title=Kevin Love Is Having Fun in Cleveland Again|date=April 5, 2022|magazine=Sports Illustrated|url=https://www.si.com/nba/2022/04/05/kevin-love-cavaliers-lebron-james-future|access-date=April 26, 2022}}</ref> Against the [[Atlanta Hawks]] on December 31, 2021, he had 35 points on 10-for-18 shooting, including a 7-for-14 on 3-pointers, for his highest-scoring game in over four seasons.<ref>{{cite news|first=Kane|last=Pitman|title=Kevin Love's resurgence continues as Sixth Man of the Year case builds|date=January 1, 2022|work=Sporting News|url=https://www.sportingnews.com/us/nba/news/kevin-love-cleveland-cavaliers-sixthman/czeo8zae9n611f5idr3ck6wev|access-date=April 26, 2022}}</ref> He was the runner-up for the [[NBA Sixth Man of the Year Award]] after averaging 13.6 points, 7.2 rebounds and 2.2 assists.<ref>{{cite news|first=Camryn|last=Justice|title=Cavs' Evan Mobley, Darius Garland, Kevin Love named finalists for 2021-22 NBA Awards|date=April 17, 2022|website=News5Cleveland.com|url=https://www.news5cleveland.com/sports/basketball/cavaliers/cavs-evan-mobley-darius-garland-kevin-love-named-finalists-for-2021-22-nba-awards|access-date=April 26, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{Cite press release|title=Heat's Tyler Herro wins 2021-22 Kia Sixth Man of the Year award |date=May 3, 2022|publisher=NBA|url=https://www.nba.com/news/2021-22-kia-sixth-man-of-the-year |access-date=May 3, 2022 |language=en}}</ref>

On February 18, 2023, Love and the Cavaliers officially agreed to a contract buyout, making him a free agent. He averaged 8.5 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 1.9 assists before the buyout with the team.<ref>{{cite web |title=Cavaliers Reach Buyout Agreement with Forward Kevin Love |url=https://www.nba.com/cavaliers/news/releases-kevin-love-buyout-230218 |website=NBA.com |access-date=February 19, 2023 |date=February 18, 2023}}</ref>

After signing with the Miami Heat after the game, Love was the last player from the 2015–16 championship team still on the roster.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Sabri |first=Alex |date=2023-02-22 |title=Where are the 2016 Champion Cavs now? |url=https://cavsnation.com/where-are-the-2016-champion-cavs-now |access-date=2024-10-14 |website=Cavs Nation |language=en}}</ref> however, [[Tristan Thompson]], a member of said team, returned to the Cavaliers months later, but re-signed in September 2024.

===Miami Heat (2023–present)===
On February 20, 2023, Love signed with the [[Miami Heat]].<ref>{{cite web|title=HEAT Sign Kevin Love|url=https://www.nba.com/heat/news/heat-sign-kevin-love|website=NBA.com|date=February 20, 2023|access-date=February 21, 2023}}</ref> On February 24, Love made his Heat debut going scoreless and putting up eight rebounds in a 128–99 loss to the [[Milwaukee Bucks]].<ref>{{cite web|first=Adam|last=Lichtenstein|title=Despite Milwaukee losing Giannis early, Heat suffer blowout loss to Bucks in Kevin Love's Miami debut|url=https://www.sun-sentinel.com/sports/miami-heat/fl-sp-heat-bucks-game-story-20230225-zk2py4oksveu3c7tekg3deym4m-story.html|work=Sun Sentinel|date=February 24, 2023|access-date=February 25, 2023}}</ref> With the Heat, Love reached his fifth NBA Finals in just his fifth playoff run. However, the Heat went on to lose the Finals in 5 games to the [[Denver Nuggets]].<ref>{{cite web|first=Shaun|last=Powell|title=5 takeaways: Nuggets drop Heat for 1st NBA championship|url=https://www.nba.com/news/5-takeaways-nuggets-win-title-game-5|website=NBA.com|date=June 13, 2023|access-date=June 13, 2023}}</ref>

On July 6, 2023, Love re-signed with the Heat on a two-year, $7.9 million contract, with a player option for the second year.<ref name="HEAT Re-sign Kevin Love">{{cite web|title=HEAT Re-sign Kevin Love|url=https://www.nba.com/heat/news/heat-re-sign-kevin-love|website=NBA.com|date=July 6, 2023|access-date=July 8, 2023}}</ref> On June 30, 2024, Love declined his player option and a week later, he again re-signed with Miami on a two-year, $8 million contract.<ref>{{cite news|title=HEAT RE-SIGN KEVIN LOVE|url=https://www.nba.com/heat/news/heat-re-sign-kevin-love-2|website=NBA.com|date=July 6, 2024|access-date=July 6, 2024}}</ref>

==National team career==
[[File:Kevin Love (cropped).jpg|right|upright|thumb|Love with the [[United States men's national basketball team|U.S. national team]] in 2012]]
Love was a member of the [[United States men's national basketball team|United States national team]] that won the gold medal at the [[2010 United States men's FIBA World Championship team|2010 FIBA World Championship]]. Love made the [[2012 United States men's Olympic basketball team|2012 Olympic team]] on July 7, 2012.<ref>{{cite news|title=Love Named A Finalist For The 2012 U.S. Olympic Team |date=January 16, 2012 |publisher=NBA |url=http://www.nba.com/timberwolves/news/news_love_olympics_2012_01_16.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120123220226/http://www.nba.com/timberwolves/news/news_love_olympics_2012_01_16.html |archive-date=January 23, 2012 |url-status=dead }}</ref> The team finished undefeated, winning the gold medal over runners-up [[Spain national basketball team|Spain]].

Mired in unresolved trade talks between Minnesota and other NBA teams, Love withdrew himself from the [[2014 United States FIBA Basketball World Cup team|2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup (formerly World Championship) team]].<ref>{{cite news|last=Windhorst |first=Brian |title=Kevin Love pulls out of Team USA |date=July 26, 2014 |publisher=ESPN |url=https://www.espn.com/olympics/basketball/story/_/id/11267219/kevin-love-minnesota-timberwolves-withdraws-team-usa |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140727081539/http://espn.go.com/olympics/basketball/story/_/id/11267219/kevin-love-minnesota-timberwolves-withdraws-team-usa |archive-date=July 27, 2014 |url-status=live }}</ref> He was also selected for the [[2020 United States men's Olympic basketball team|2020 Olympic team]] in Tokyo, but withdrew after the third exhibition game, stating that he was not fully recovered from the right calf injury that sidelined him for much of the 2020–21 season.<ref>{{cite news|title=Cleveland Cavaliers' Kevin Love withdrawing from Team USA for Tokyo Olympics|date=July 16, 2021|website=ESPN.com|url=https://www.espn.com/olympics/story/_/id/31827912/cleveland-cavaliers-kevin-love-withdrawing-team-usa-tokyo-olympics|accessdate=July 16, 2021}}</ref>

==Career statistics==
{{NBA player statistics legend|champion=y|leader=y}}

===NBA===
====Regular season====
{{NBA player statistics start}}
|-
| style="text-align:left;"|{{nbay|2008}}
| style="text-align:left;"|[[2008–09 Minnesota Timberwolves season|Minnesota]]
| '''81''' || 37 || 25.3 || .459 || .105 || .789 || 9.1 || 1.0 || .4 || '''.6''' || 11.1
|-
| style="text-align:left;"|{{nbay|2009}}
| style="text-align:left;"|[[2009–10 Minnesota Timberwolves season|Minnesota]]
| 60 || 22 || 28.6 || .450 || .330 || .815 || 11.0 || 2.3 || .7 || .4 || 14.0
|-
| style="text-align:left;"|{{nbay|2010}}
| style="text-align:left;"|[[2010–11 Minnesota Timberwolves season|Minnesota]]
| 73 || 73 || 35.8 || '''.470''' || '''.417''' || .850 || style="background:#cfecec;"| '''15.2'''* || 2.5 || .6 || .4 || 20.2
|-
| style="text-align:left;"|{{nbay|2011}}
| style="text-align:left;"|[[2011–12 Minnesota Timberwolves season|Minnesota]]
| 55 || 55 || '''39.0''' || .448 || .372 || .824 || 13.3 || 2.0 || '''.9''' || .5 || 26.0
|-
| style="text-align:left;"|{{nbay|2012}}
| style="text-align:left;"|[[2012–13 Minnesota Timberwolves season|Minnesota]]
| 18 || 18 || 34.3 || .352 || .217 || .704 || 14.0 || 2.3 || .7 || .5 || 18.3
|-
| style="text-align:left;"|{{nbay|2013}}
| style="text-align:left;"|[[2013–14 Minnesota Timberwolves season|Minnesota]]
| 77 || '''77''' || 36.3 || .457 || .376 || .821 || 12.5 || '''4.4''' || .8 || .5 || '''26.1'''
|-
| style="text-align:left;"|{{nbay|2014}}
| style="text-align:left;"|[[2014–15 Cleveland Cavaliers season|Cleveland]]
| 75 || 75 || 33.8 || .434 || .367 || .804 || 9.7 || 2.2 || .7 || .5 || 16.4
|-
| style="text-align:left; background:#afe6ba;"|{{nbay|2015}}{{dagger}}
| style="text-align:left;"|[[2015–16 Cleveland Cavaliers season|Cleveland]]
| 77 || '''77''' || 31.5 || .419 || .360 || .822 || 9.9 || 2.4 || .8 || .5 || 16.0
|-
| style="text-align:left;"|{{nbay|2016}}
| style="text-align:left;"|[[2016–17 Cleveland Cavaliers season|Cleveland]]
| 60 || 60 || 31.4 || .427 || .373 || .871 || 11.1 || 1.9 || '''.9''' || .4 || 19.0
|-
| style="text-align:left;"|{{nbay|2017}}
| style="text-align:left;"|[[2017–18 Cleveland Cavaliers season|Cleveland]]
| 59 || 59 || 28.0 || .458 || .415 || .880 || 9.3 || 1.7 || .7 || .4 || 17.6
|-
| style="text-align:left;"|{{nbay|2018}}
| style="text-align:left;"|[[2018–19 Cleveland Cavaliers season|Cleveland]]
| 22 || 21 || 27.2 || .385 || .361 || '''.904''' || 10.9 || 2.2 || .3 || .2 || 17.0
|-
| style="text-align:left;"|{{nbay|2019}}
| style="text-align:left;"|[[2019–20 Cleveland Cavaliers season|Cleveland]]
| 56 || 56 || 31.8 || .450 || .374 || .854 || 9.8 || 3.2 || .6 || .3 || 17.6
|-
| style="text-align:left;"|{{nbay|2020}}
| style="text-align:left;"|[[2020–21 Cleveland Cavaliers season|Cleveland]]
| 25 || 25 || 24.9 || .409 || .365 || .824 || 7.4 || 2.5 || .6 || .1 || 12.2
|-
| style="text-align:left;"|{{nbay|2021}}
| style="text-align:left;"|[[2021–22 Cleveland Cavaliers season|Cleveland]]
| 74 || 4 || 22.5 || .430 || .392 || .838 || 7.2 || 2.2 || .4 || .2 || 13.6
|-
| style="text-align:left;" rowspan=2|{{nbay|2022}}
| style="text-align:left;"|[[2022–23 Cleveland Cavaliers season|Cleveland]]
| 41 || 3 || 20.0 || .389 || .354 || .889 || 6.8 || 1.9 || .2 || .2 || 8.5
|-
| style="text-align:left;"|[[2022–23 Miami Heat season|Miami]]
| 21 || 17 || 19.9 || .388 || .297 || .857 || 5.7 || 1.9 || .4 || .2 || 7.7
|-
| style="text-align:left;"|{{nbay|2023}}
| style="text-align:left;"|[[2023–24 Miami Heat season|Miami]]
| 55 || 5 || 16.8 || .440 || .344 || .787 || 6.1 || 2.1 || .3 || .2 || 8.8
|-
| style="text-align:left;"|{{nbay|2024}}
| style="text-align:left;"|[[2024–25 Miami Heat season|Miami]]
| 23 || 9 || 10.9 || .357 || .358 || .696 || 4.1 || 1.0 || .7 || .2 || 5.3
|- class="sortbottom"
| style="text-align:center;" colspan="2"|Career
| 952 || 693 || 28.9 || .438 || .369 || .828 || 10.0 || 2.3 || .6 || .4 || 16.2
|- class="sortbottom"
| style="text-align:center;" colspan="2"|All-Star
| 3 || 1 || 21.0 || .500 || .364 || .286 || 6.7 || 1.3 || 1.3 || .0 || 10.7
{{s-end}}

====Playoffs====
{{NBA player statistics start}}
|-
| style="text-align:left;"|[[2015 NBA playoffs|2015]]
| style="text-align:left;"|[[2014–15 Cleveland Cavaliers season|Cleveland]]
| 4 || 4 || 26.7 || .415 || .429 || .737 || 7.0 || '''2.5''' || .3 || .5 || 14.3
|-
| style="text-align:left; background:#afe6ba;"|[[2016 NBA playoffs|2016]]{{dagger}}
| style="text-align:left;"|[[2015–16 Cleveland Cavaliers season|Cleveland]]
| 20 || 19 || 30.6 || .385 || .414 || .840 || 8.8 || 2.1 || .5 || .4 || 14.7
|-
| style="text-align:left;"|[[2017 NBA playoffs|2017]]
| style="text-align:left;"|[[2016–17 Cleveland Cavaliers season|Cleveland]]
| 18 || 18 || '''32.1''' || .436 || '''.450''' || .840 || '''10.6''' || 1.7 || '''1.2''' || '''.9''' || '''16.8'''
|-
| style="text-align:left;"|[[2018 NBA playoffs|2018]]
| style="text-align:left;"|[[2017–18 Cleveland Cavaliers season|Cleveland]]
| '''21''' || '''21''' || 31.4 || .392 || .340 || '''.922''' || 10.2 || 1.6 || .7 || .4 || 14.9
|-
| style="text-align:left;"|[[2023 NBA playoffs|2023]]
| style="text-align:left;"|[[2022–23 Miami Heat season|Miami]]
| 20 || 18 || 17.9 || .378 || .375 || .875 || 5.6 || 1.2 || .5 || .4 || 6.9
|-
| style="text-align:left;"|[[2024 NBA playoffs|2024]]
| style="text-align:left;"|[[2023–24 Miami Heat season|Miami]]
| 5 || 0 || 6.4 || '''.444''' || .250 || {{sort|-|—}} || 2.8 || .8 || .0 || .0 || 1.8
|- class="sortbottom"
| style="text-align:center;" colspan="2"|Career
| 88 || 80 || 26.7 || .400 || .397 || .855 || 8.3 || 1.6 || .7 || .5 || 12.6
{{s-end}}

===College===
{{NBA player statistics start}}
|-
| style="text-align:left;"|[[2007–08 NCAA Division I men's basketball season|2007–08]]
| style="text-align:left;"|[[2007–08 UCLA Bruins men's basketball team|UCLA]]
| 39 || 38 || 29.6 || .559 || .354 || .767 || 10.6 || 1.9 || .7 || 1.4 || 17.5
{{s-end}}

==Personal life==
Love's uncle, [[Mike Love|Mike]], is a founding member of [[the Beach Boys]] and brother of Love's father, [[Stan Love (basketball)|Stan]]. Mike and Stan's cousins include the brothers [[Brian Wilson]], [[Carl Wilson]], and [[Dennis Wilson]], who were also founding members of the Beach Boys. Love's aunt, [[Kathleen McCartney Hearst]], was an accomplished [[triathlete]]. He has an older brother, Collin, and a younger sister, Emily.<ref name="ucla"/> His middle name, Wesley, is in honor of [[Wes Unseld]], the former [[Washington Bullets]] center and the Loves' family friend.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.usatoday.com/sports/college/mensbasketball/2008-02-08-2914005513_x.htm |title=Kevin Love's old-school game, maturity make him a college throwback at UCLA |first=Beth |last=Harris |work=USA Today |date=February 9, 2008}}</ref>

Love had been dating Canadian model [[Kate Bock]] for "nearly five years"<ref>{{Cite web|last=Struby|first=Tim|title=Kevin Love On How His Fight For Mental Health Awareness Is Changing The NBA|url=https://www.maxim.com/sports/kevin-love-fight-for-mental-health-awareness-nba-2020-2|access-date=2020-04-26|website=Maxim|date=March 2, 2020|language=en-us}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=NBA Star Kevin Love Stars Alongside Girlfriend Kate Bock in Intimate New Banana Republic Campaign|url=https://people.com/style/kevin-love-new-banana-republic-campaign/|access-date=2020-04-26|website=PEOPLE.com|language=EN}}</ref> before getting engaged on January 31, 2021.<ref>{{Cite web|title=NBA Star Kevin Love and SI Swimsuit Model Kate Bock Are Engaged|url=https://people.com/style/nba-star-kevin-love-model-kate-bock-engaged/|access-date=2021-02-01|website=PEOPLE.com|language=en}}</ref> They married on June 25, 2022, at the [[New York Public Library]] in [[New York City]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-06-28 |title=Inside Kate Bock and Kevin Love's Wedding—A Great Gatsby-Inspired Ceremony at the New York Public Library |url=https://www.vogue.com/slideshow/inside-kate-bock-and-kevin-love-wedding |access-date=2022-06-30 |website=Vogue |language=en-US}}</ref> In June 2023, Bock gave birth to the couple's first child, during the [[2023 NBA Finals]].<ref>{{cite web|url= https://people.com/kevin-love-kate-bock-share-first-photos-baby-born-during-nba-finals-7551666|title= Kevin Love and Kate Bock Share First Photos of Newborn Baby, Born During NBA Finals|work=People|last=Andaloro|first=Angela|date=22 June 2023}}</ref>

In March 2018, in response to [[DeMar DeRozan]]'s public discussion of his struggles with depression, Love revealed that he had been seeing a therapist for several months following a panic attack during a game in November 2017. In a first-person article in ''[[The Players' Tribune]]'' in March 2018 entitled, "Everyone Is Going Through Something", Love wrote: "Mental health is an invisible thing, but it touches all of us at some point or another."<ref name="theplayerstribune.com">{{Cite web |date=2018-03-06 |title=Everyone Is Going Through Something {{!}} By Kevin Love |url=https://www.theplayerstribune.com/articles/kevin-love-everyone-is-going-through-something |access-date=2022-11-06 |website=The Players' Tribune |language=en-US}}</ref> It continued: "I want to remind you that you're not weird or different for sharing what you're going through."<ref name="theplayerstribune.com"/><ref>{{cite news | first= Kevin | last= Love | date = March 6, 2018| access-date = March 11, 2018 | url = https://www.theplayerstribune.com/kevin-love-everyone-is-going-through-something/ | work = The Players' Tribune | title= Everyone Is Going Through Something }}</ref><ref>{{cite news | newspaper= Washington Post | access-date = March 11, 2018 | url = https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/early-lead/wp/2018/03/06/everything-was-spinning-kevin-love-opens-up-about-his-in-game-panic-attack/ | date= March 6, 2018 | title = 'Everything was spinning': Kevin Love opens up about his in-game panic attack | first= Cindy | last= Boren}}</ref>

In August 2018, Love continued his advocacy for mental health awareness, discussing his family's history of depression, along with his own struggles with anxiety, rage, and "dark times" where he would hide in his room and not talk to anyone.<ref>{{cite news | first= Jackie | last= MacMullan | date = August 20, 2018| access-date = August 27, 2018 | url = https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/24382693/jackie-macmullan-kevin-love-paul-pierce-state-mental-health-nba | work = ESPN | title= The courageous fight to fix the NBA's mental health problem }}</ref> Love committed to forming a foundation focusing on mental health, particularly for young boys, adding that he believes he's "found [his] life's work."<ref>{{cite news | first= Jackie | last= MacMullan | date = August 24, 2018| access-date = August 27, 2018 | url = https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/24426920/nba-mental-health-trae-young-kevin-love-future-mental-wellness | work = ESPN | title= Trae Young, Kevin Love and the future of mental health in the NBA }}</ref>

In 2023, Love announced his plan to return to Cleveland before retiring stating he is "definitely open to coming back and retiring" with the Cavaliers.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Wells |first=Adam |title=Heat's Kevin Love Says He's Not Ruling out Return to Cavaliers to Finish NBA Career |url=https://bleacherreport.com/articles/10100451-heats-kevin-love-says-hes-not-ruling-out-return-to-cavaliers-to-finish-nba-career |access-date=2023-12-11 |website=Bleacher Report |language=en}}</ref>

===Philanthropy===
In 2009, Love became the first among NBA players to join the Hoops for St. Jude charity program benefitting the St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, after working with the hospital as part of the league's "Rookie Relief" community outreach program in his first season in the league.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.cbssports.com/nba/story/13009170/st-jude-utilizes-power-of-love-nba-in-fight-against-cancer |title=St. Jude utilizes power of Love, NBA in fight against cancer |first=Ken |last=Berger |date=March 4, 2010 |access-date=March 20, 2012 |publisher=CBSsports.com |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130902120224/http://www.cbssports.com/nba/story/13009170/st-jude-utilizes-power-of-love-nba-in-fight-against-cancer |archive-date=September 2, 2013 }}</ref>

In 2018, he established the Kevin Love Fund to provide tools and help for people to improve their physical and emotional well-being, with the goal of assisting more than 1 billion people over the next five years.<ref name="fund">{{cite web |title=The Kevin Love Fund - Entertainment Industry Foundation Partner |url=https://www.eifoundation.org/partners/the-kevin-love-fund/ |website=EIF |publisher=Entertainment Industry Foundation |access-date=23 June 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200622182620/https://www.eifoundation.org/partners/the-kevin-love-fund/ |archive-date=22 June 2020 |language=en |quote=Everyone is going through something that we can’t see.}}</ref> Early beneficiaries included two programs to empower high school students to make healthy choices and the UCLA Athletics Department. On March 12, 2020, Love's fund gave $100,000 to the support staff of Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, where the Cleveland Cavaliers play, who were unable to work during the 2020 coronavirus pandemic.<ref>{{cite web |title=Kevin Love kicks off support drive for arena workers with $100K pledge |date=March 13, 2020 |url=https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/28894232/kevin-love-kicks-support-drive-arena-workers-100k-pledge |access-date=15 March 2020}}</ref> He was joined by Cavaliers center [[Andre Drummond]], who donated an additional $60,000.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Justice |first1=Camryn |title=Cavaliers players pay it forward to Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse staff |url=https://www.news5cleveland.com/sports/basketball/cavaliers/cavaliers-players-pay-it-forward-to-rocket-mortgage-fieldhouse-staff |website=WEWS - News 5 Cleveland |publisher=Scripps Media |access-date=23 June 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200426171834/https://www.news5cleveland.com/sports/basketball/cavaliers/cavaliers-players-pay-it-forward-to-rocket-mortgage-fieldhouse-staff |archive-date=26 April 2020 |language=en |date=17 April 2020}}</ref>

On April 26, 2020, The Kevin Love Fund sent a truckload of lunches to the staff of the Cleveland Clinic's Medical Intensive Care Unit and its COVID-19 testing sites, and appeared by [[FaceTime]] to personally thank the healthcare workers there.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Justice |first1=Camryn |title=Cavs' Kevin Love surprises Cleveland Clinic staff with lunch, FaceTime visit |url=https://www.news5cleveland.com/sports/basketball/cavaliers/cavs-kevin-love-surprises-cleveland-clinic-staff-with-lunch-facetime-visit |website=WEWS - News 5 Cleveland |publisher=Scripps Media |access-date=23 June 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200511205721/https://www.news5cleveland.com/sports/basketball/cavaliers/cavs-kevin-love-surprises-cleveland-clinic-staff-with-lunch-facetime-visit |archive-date=11 May 2020 |language=en |date=26 April 2020}}</ref> On June 22, 2020, he announced that his fund was pledging $500,000, matched by the UCLA Centennial Term Chair Match, to establish the Kevin Love Fund Chair in UCLA's psychology department.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Abraham |first1=Melissa |title=NBA star and alumnus Kevin Love to fund chair in psychology |url=https://newsroom.ucla.edu/stories/nba-star-and-alumnus-kevin-love-to-fund-chair-in-psychology |website=UCLA |publisher=Regents of University of California |access-date=23 June 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200623183222/https://newsroom.ucla.edu/stories/nba-star-and-alumnus-kevin-love-to-fund-chair-in-psychology |archive-date=23 June 2020 |date=22 June 2020 |quote=Former Bruin seeks to end stigma around anxiety and depression}}</ref> The $1 million investment will support a scholar at one of the top-ranked psychology departments in the United States whose work helps diagnose, prevent, treat and destigmatize anxiety and depression.

Separately, Love donated to UCLA Athletics what was reported by the [[Orange County Register]] to be $1 million in September 2016, matching a gift by fellow NBA star and UCLA alumnus [[Russell Westbrook]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Kevin Love matches Russell Westbrook's record-setting donation to UCLA basketball facility |url=https://www.ocregister.com/2016/09/20/kevin-love-matches-russell-westbrooks-record-setting-donation-to-ucla-basketball-facility/ |access-date=23 June 2020 |work=Orange County Register |date=20 September 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180701111637/https://www.ocregister.com/2016/09/20/kevin-love-matches-russell-westbrooks-record-setting-donation-to-ucla-basketball-facility/ |archive-date=1 July 2018}}</ref> These and other gifts funded the construction of the [https://www.uclabasketballfacility.com/ Mo Ostin Basketball Center] on UCLA's Westwood campus.{{cn|date=February 2025}}

==Endorsements and investments==
In 2011, Love signed a 6-year endorsement contract with the Chinese shoe company [[361 Degrees]].<ref>{{cite news|last=Eggers |first=Kerry |title=You'll see less of Love this season |date=December 1, 2011 |newspaper=The Portland Tribune |url=http://portlandtribune.com/sports/story.php?story_id=132268947568282900 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120221211847/http://www.portlandtribune.com/sports/story.php?story_id=132268947568282900 |archive-date=February 21, 2012 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

In 2012, Love became an investor in the lifestyle website 12Society.<ref>{{cite news|last=Mehta |first=Stephanie N. |url=http://tech.fortune.cnn.com/2012/05/23/kevin-love/ |title=NBA's Kevin Love is latest player in celeb-tech mashup |publisher=CNN |date=May 23, 2012 |access-date=July 26, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120819092611/http://tech.fortune.cnn.com/2012/05/23/kevin-love/ |archive-date=August 19, 2012 }}</ref>

In 2016, Love became the new style ambassador and campaign model for [[Banana Republic]].<ref>{{cite web|last=Gustashaw|first=Megan|url=https://www.gq.com/story/kevin-love-banana-republic-nba-style|title=Cavaliers Player Kevin Love is the New Face of Banana Republic|work=GQ.com|date=March 3, 2016|access-date=August 2, 2016}}</ref>

==Media appearances==
On a video game, Love appeared on the front cover of ''[[NCAA Basketball 09]]'' in 2009.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bruinsnation.com/2008/9/11/612362/kevin-love-on-the-cover-of|title=Kevin Love on the cover of NCAA Basketball 09|date=September 11, 2008|publisher=BruinsNation.com|access-date=April 23, 2012}}</ref>

On television, he appeared as himself on the [[Disney Channel]] show ''[[The Suite Life on Deck]]'' during the season 3 episode "Twister: Part 1" along with [[Dwight Howard]] and [[Deron Williams]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.slamonline.com/online/media/slam-tv/2011/01/video-dwight-kevin-love-dwill-on-the-suite-life/ |title=Dwight, Kevin Love, DWill on 'The Suite Life' |publisher=Slamonline.com |date=January 6, 2011 |access-date=July 26, 2012}}</ref> He appeared in the [[HBO]] television series ''[[Entourage (U.S. TV series)|Entourage]]'' in its seventh-season finale "Lose Yourself".<ref>{{cite web |title=Kevin Love |url=https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2952776/ |website=IMDb |access-date=23 June 2020}}</ref>

On film, he was one of the stars in the feature length, 2008 documentary ''[[Gunnin' for That No. 1 Spot]]''.<ref>{{cite web |title=Gunnin' for That #1 Spot |website=[[IMDb]]|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1204298/}}</ref> And he was also in the short 2012 documentary ''My Life As An NBA Rookie''.<ref>{{cite web |title=My Life as an NBA Rookie |website=[[IMDb]]|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2446150/}}</ref>

Online, he was part of an internet advertising campaign in 2012 by [[PepsiCo]] for [[Pepsi Max]] that featured the character "Uncle Drew" played by Love's future NBA teammate [[Kyrie Irving]]. It was wildly popular, and reported to be the second most watched ad on YouTube that year and among the 50 most-viewed viral videos worldwide, garnering more than 22 million views.<ref>{{cite web |title=Pepsi MAX Uncle Drew - Gold |url=https://www.chiefmarketer.com/pro-awards-winners/best-promotion-budget-250000-gold |website=Chief Marketer |access-date=23 June 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180316124102/https://www.chiefmarketer.com/pro-awards-winners/best-promotion-budget-250000-gold |archive-date=16 March 2018}}</ref> PepsiCo and its advertising agency [[Davie Brown Entertainment]] quickly rolled out another commercial later that year, "Uncle Drew: Chapter 2", this time co-starring Kevin Love.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Zaldivar |first1=Gabe |title=Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love Team Up for Epic Uncle Drew Pepsi Max Ad |url=https://bleacherreport.com/articles/1391995-kyrie-irving-and-kevin-love-team-up-for-epic-uncle-drew-pepsi-max-ad |website=Bleacher Report |access-date=23 June 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180706230250/http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1391995-kyrie-irving-and-kevin-love-team-up-for-epic-uncle-drew-pepsi-max-ad |archive-date=6 July 2018 |language=en}}</ref> These and two more commercials led to the theatrical movie ''[[Uncle Drew]]'' in 2018 (Love was not part of that production).

==Awards and honors==
===NBA===
* 5× [[NBA All-Star]]
* 2× [[All-NBA Second Team]] ({{nbay|2011|end}}, {{nbay|2013|end}})
* [[2016 NBA Finals|2016 NBA Championship]] (as a member of the Cleveland Cavaliers)

===USA Basketball===
* 2010 [[FIBA World Championship]] 
* 2012 Olympic gold medal

===NCAA===
* 2008 First Team All-American
* 2008 Pac-10 Player of the Year
* [[UCLA Hall of Fame]] (class of 2020)

===High School===
* 2006 Oregon State Championship (with [[Lake Oswego High School|Lake Oswego]])
* 2007 [[Naismith Prep Player of the Year Award]]

===[[ESPY Awards]]===
* 2016 [[Best Team ESPY Award|Best Team]] (as a member of the Cleveland Cavaliers)
* 2020 [[Arthur Ashe Courage Award]]

===Local===
* 2021 Greater Cleveland Sports Awards - Humanitarian of the Year<ref>[http://www.news5cleveland.com/sports/basketball/cavaliers/cavs-love-honored-for-mental-health-advocacy-charity-work Cavs' Love honored for mental health advocacy, charity work - News 5 Cleveland.com] ([[WEWS-TV]])</ref>

==See also==
{{Portal|Sports}}
* [[List of NBA career rebounding leaders]]
* [[List of NBA career 3-point scoring leaders]]
* [[List of NBA annual rebounding leaders]]
* [[List of NBA single-season rebounding leaders]]
* [[List of NBA single-game rebounding leaders]]
* [[List of second-generation National Basketball Association players]]
* [[2006 high school boys basketball All-Americans]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Kevin Love}}
{{basketballstats|nba=kevin_love|bbr=l/loveke01}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20140517155647/http://kl42.com/ Archived personal website (2014)]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20131213210322/http://www.uclabruins.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=30500&ATCLID=208185305 UCLA Bruins bio]
* [https://www.eifoundation.org/partners/the-kevin-love-fund/ Kevin Love Fund]

{{Miami Heat current roster}}
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{{Naismith Prep Player of the Year Award}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Love, Kevin}}
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