Before Kevin Love ever came to UCLA, he had as much hype surrounding him as anyone coming out of high school in the country.
One of the most fundamentally sound players in recent years, Love was expected to dominate straight out of the gate.
He was expected to keep UCLA in the upper echelon of national powers. He was expected to provide the interior offensive presence unseen in decades at Pauley Pavilion.
So, the big question becomes, did he live up to all the talk?
Without a doubt, the answer is yes.
The unprecedented numbers that he posted this season are evidence alone.
He put up 17.5 points and 10.6 rebounds per game. Double-digit points in all 39 games and 23 double-doubles. It all combined to form the greatest freshman season in the history of UCLA basketball, according to coach Ben Howland.
For the first time in years, the Bruins could count on a reliable low-post offensive threat each night, feeding the ball down low and taking pressure off the guards. Not to take anything away from Lorenzo Mata-Real or Ryan Hollins, but what Love did as a freshman was unmatched.
However, the numbers do not tell the whole story. His maturity level and ability to change games played a huge part of how the Bruins made it back to the Final Four for the third straight time.
Although Love had dominated for two months before the Bruins even started Pac-10 play, his performance at Oregon is just one example of why his presence was so valuable.
For any team, playing at Mac Court is one of the toughest places to win in the conference. For Love, it must have been tenfold. The fans blasted him for choosing UCLA over the Ducks from the pregame until after it was over, chanting phrases that would make anybody cringe.
He proceeded to post one of the best games of his short college career that night, putting up 26 points and 18 rebounds, leading an injury-riddled Bruin squad to a 5-point come-from-behind victory.
It was a win that Howland dubbed one of the best wins of his career. It was also a win that would not have happened without Love.
In big games, Love continued to step up as the season progressed. He hit a huge three against California to finish the Pac-10 season, and he put the Bruins on his back against Texas A&M on his way to earning most outstanding player of the NCAA West Regional. He just did not take a night off.
Without Love, that third trip to the Final Four just wouldn’t have happened.
Simply put, he made everyone believe the hype.