There is no injury too small to freshman Kevin Love that doesn’t require attention.
The Bruins’ coaching staff is as cautious as can be with its star recruit, who has made a habit of taking some knocks in preseason practice.
“It’s funny. Every little ding I get, I could have a tissue fall on me, and still have to get an MRI,” Love said.
When Love drove to the basket during practice on Tuesday and went to the floor after bumping knees with teammate Lorenzo Mata-Real, it became absolutely silent in Pauley Pavilion. Love had hit the side of his knee, a spot where he already had a bruise, and sat out the rest of the practice to be on the safe side.
“When I banged my knee, I just felt weak afterwards, and I want to be ready for Friday’s game,” Love said. “It’s our first exhibition game and we’re going to get tested.”
After all of the preseason hype about Love’s arrival in Westwood, the 6-foot-10-inch center will finally suit up and take the court for the first time tonight when the Bruins will host their first exhibition of the preseason against Azusa Pacific. While the attention added by bringing in a premier recruit might distract a team, the Bruins have welcomed the extra attention.
“Kevin’s hype has been good for us,” guard Darren Collison said. “UCLA can have it as well. He’s doing it for himself and UCLA, and we’ll take it every time.”
The corps of veteran players returning from the Bruins’ back-to-back Final Four appearances have welcomed freshmen Love and Chace Stanback into the fold in the early going.
Love and Stanback join a team that lost only two players from last year’s squad: guard Arron Afflalo, who left for the NBA, and forward Ryan Wright, who transferred to Oklahoma. While the faces look similar, many of the players of the Bruins’ roster have returned for this season with a more complete game.
Junior Michael Roll has been impressive in preseason practice, hitting a high percentage of his shots. There is even a possibility that when Howland announces the lineup, Roll could find himself in the starting five. When asked whose shot had been looking good in practice, Roll’s name was the first one out of coach Ben Howland’s mouth.
Forward Alfred Aboya is also boasting a much-improved shot, demonstrating it with some mid-range shots in practice.
“Alfred has really improved his shot,” Howland said. “Alfred is a better shooter, for sure, than he was his first two years here. And I have confidence when he’s open from 17 (feet) and in that it’s going to go in.”
The team also has growing confidence in guard Russell Westbrook. Westbrook was a spark off the bench last season, but after spending long hours in the summer working on his shot at the request of Howland, he is looking to make big waves this season.
“You can see he got a lot better, making decisions, not turning the ball over, doing what coach asked him to do, making sure he can knock down open shots,” forward Luc Richard Mbah a Moute said.
Despite his shooting work, it was his new hairstyle that garnered the most attention on Tuesday. Westbrook showed up at practice with what he called a “Flamin’ Hawk,” a Mohawk with a flaming basketball buzzed into the right side.
AZUSA PACIFIC: The Bruins kick off their preseason tonight with an exhibition against Azusa Pacific at 7:30 p.m. in Pauley Pavilion. The Cougars from the NAIA come into the season with a new coach, Justin Leslie.
For the Bruins, the game is an opportunity to test out everything that they have been practicing against an actual opponent.
“No matter how hard you practice, it’s not like a game,” forward Josh Shipp said. “So we’re just using this for game situation things, working on getting little things down. It’s just good practice for us.”