Here’s a transcript of Love’s conference call with Memphis reporters, courtesy of the Grizzlies.
Kevin Love
Q: When you were selected, we knew you expressed your interest in the Grizzlies, what was it like hearing your name called?
A: It was great and I was looking after Minnesota picked third, who were high on me, I was crossing my fingers on the fifth pick and the Grizzlies and getting to put on the Memphis hat. Plus the hat matches my tie.
Q: I know you dropped weight, but the perception is that you lack athleticism and you lack the ability to play the up-tempo style, what do you think about that?
A: I totally disagree with that. Throughout the year at UCLA that was the case, but I have dropped the weight and my results were pretty good at the pre draft combines. Whatever system it is, I can run Coach Ivaroni’s offense and I can stretch the defense by shooting and stretch the defense by passing and do a lot of little intangibles and help on defense too and be a constant double guy every night.
Q: Coach said he liked that you are physical. It seems that you have a little mean streak to you.
A: Yes I really do. I do some of the things my dad use to do in the NBA, a lot of behind the camera things. Now there are cameras everywhere though. So I mean he taught me a lot of that as a kid and so I do have a little mean streak in me. When I get out there on the basketball court though I am really passionate and I hope that turns into good defense.
Q: What was some of the things your dad taught you behind the scenes?
A: The stuff that goes undetected in games. Those secrets I can’t give the media.
Q: Why do you think Memphis is a good place for you?
A: I feel like I can do a lot of things Pau did while he was here. He won rookie of the year a few years back and he can really pass the ball, shoot inside and out, and do a lot of those intangibles I talked about. I feel like I am more of an aggressive rebounder and I feel like I can help the team and outlet the ball to Rudy Gay and watch him go to work, or he can feed it back to me and I can dunk or shoot the three. I can work well with Conely and Lowry other guys on the team.
Q: Of all the workouts, Coach seemed more intrigued by yours than anyone else’s. Did you sense that or why?
A: I feel like Coach liked me because he sensed I was a winner. You can look at my track record ever since I started playing basketball, and I have few loses. That translated to UCLA and I can hopefully do that next year and add to the W column here in Memphis.
Q: When people look at this draft they look at Rose and Beasley and talk about them being out of this world, and then there was you guys, but in high school you competed equally with those guys, but when you look at Beasley do you feel they are better than you?
A: I feel like there some guys that can be, let me use my bunny ears here, a “superstar” but as far as I go, I will always be productive and a hard worker and a gym rat and a good locker room leader. I think that I am a good investment; this is a business and I am going to take this as serious as possible. I am going to keep losing weight, get stronger, and better. I am only 19 years old so I still developing.