Love release

UCLA FIRST-TEAM ALL-AMERICA CENTER
KEVIN LOVE DECLARES FOR THE NBA DRAFT

LOVE WILL NOT INITIALLY RETAIN AN AGENT TO MAINTAIN HIS NCAA ELIGIBILITY.

Los Angeles, CA – April 17, 2008 – UCLA first-team All-America freshman Kevin Love, who led the Bruins to the 2008 Pac-10 Championship and 2008 NCAA Final Four, announced today he would make himself eligible for the NBA draft but will not hire an agent at this time in order to maintain his NCAA eligibility.

The 2007-08 Pac-10 Men’s Basketball Player of the Year and Freshman of the Year made his decision to declare for the draft after lengthy discussions with his family in Lake Oswego, Oregon, UCLA Coach Ben Howland, legendary UCLA Coach John Wooden and UCLA teammates who have previously faced this difficult decision.

“It has always been my goal to play basketball at the highest level of competition,” Love said. “And consistent with all of my advisors’ sound and thoughtful guidance, I understand that I may now have an opportunity to make my mark at the next level, to play for an NBA team. I want to see where I stand in this year's draft so that I can make an informed decision.”

The 6-10, 255-pound center became the second freshman in Pac-10 history to earn conference Player of the Year honors. Love led the Bruins with 17.5 points and 10.6 rebounds per game this season, including averages of 19.8 points and 10.6 rebounds during the NCAA Tournament. Additionally, Love scored in double figures in all 39 of his games this season while posting 23 double-doubles.

“My emotions are like a roller-coaster right now,” said Love. “While it is a dream of mine to play in the NBA, I do not look forward to leaving behind a community that is extremely special to me. The UCLA student body and fans throughout Southern California have raised me to higher levels. Coach Howland and the rest of the coaching staff have also been so instrumental in my personal and basketball development and for that I am grateful. And making this decision even more difficult is the love and enormous respect I have for my teammates and school.

“Although I am declaring my eligibility for the NBA draft, I am also making certain commitments to myself, my family and UCLA. I am committed to continuing my education and ultimately graduating from UCLA. I will also maintain my ties to the school by remaining involved in the greater UCLA community. And finally, I commit that I will use my platform as a professional basketball player to help others with a consistent and meaningful donation of my time and financial resources. I think I have served UCLA well t o this point; I commit to do my best to make the UCLA community and my family proud of me in the years ahead.”

Love is the first Bruin freshman to earn first-team All-America honors. In addition, he became the third UCLA player in four years to earn Pac-10 Freshman of the Year, and the sixth Bruin overall to earn the honor. Love set a UCLA freshman record with 415 rebounds and that total ranks No. 6 in school history behind only Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (three times) and Bill Walton (twice). His 691 points rank No. 9 on UCLA’s single-season list and No. 1 among freshmen.

“Kevin is going to have a long and successful career in the NBA when he chooses that path and I’m very happy for him and wish him nothing but the best,” UCLA Head Coach Ben Howland said. “He completed the greatest freshman year in the history of UCLA basketball. The entire UCLA family will be rooting for him for the rest of his career.”