Last summer, the day after Al Jefferson was traded to Utah from Minnesota, The Hoop Doctors spoke to Kevin Love and asked him if he thought his role would be expanded due to Jefferson’s departure. “I hope so” he told us. Well, after recording an NBA record 53 consecutive double-doubles which included a 31 and 31 game, leading the league in rebounding and being named an All-Star for the first time in his career, I think it’s safe to say his role was expanded just a tad. Love is the obvious winner of the Most Improved Player award…
In one short season, Kevin Love went from gritting his teeth on the bench as a sixth man for the lowly Minnesota Timberwolves to playing as an All-Star and becoming the NBA’s leading rebounder.
That was more than enough to earn him the league’s Most Improved Player award. Two people with knowledge of the announcement told The Associated Press that Love will be given the award at a news conference on Thursday afternoon.
The people requested anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly about the award before the announcement.
Love averaged 20.2 points and led the NBA with 15.2 rebounds per game this season. He earned his first All-Star appearance despite playing for a team that finished with the worst record in the NBA.
Read more about Love’s award via AP at ESPN.com
