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Kevin Love reveals how LeBron elevated him as a player when he joined the Cavs: "I had bad habits"
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- Kevin Love reveals how LeBron elevated him as a player when he joined the Cavs: "I had bad habits"
LeBron James is, without a shadow of a doubt, among the top two basketball players of all time. Whether you're talking about his phenomenal achievements or the type of longevity the NBA has simply never seen before, he was, is and will be a legend of the game. However, one aspect that often goes under the radar when discussing The Chosen One and his legacy is his uncanny ability to elevate everyone around him.
Those who got the chance to share the locker room with Bron know this best, and they speak on it all the time. One of them is Kevin Love , who recently opened up about how much those early Cleveland days reshaped him as a player, but also as a person in general.
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"When I first got to Cleveland, I had bad habits. I didn't know what it meant to sacrifice. I didn't truly have, in my first few years, but in my six years in Minnesota, like a vet to show me the way and to deal with adversity and to understand what it meant to be a good pro, and also a good teammate," K-Love pointed out in his recent appearance on the Dan Patrick Show.
From the All-NBA team to the third option
Before becoming a member of the Cleveland Cavaliers , Love spent six seasons with the Minnesota Timberwolves , the franchise that drafted him fifth overall in the 2008 NBA Draft. After a couple of years of getting adjusted to the league, Love hit full stride and quickly became one of the best big men in the Association, and a walking 20-12 double-double machine. He collected three All-Star appearances and two All-NBA Second Team selections during his run there.
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However, everything changed almost overnight when he landed in Cleveland in 2014. Instead of being the undisputed No. 1 option, Love suddenly became the third option offensively behind Kyrie Irving and, of course, LeBron. And even though he sacrificed personal stats and individual accolades, he evolved into one of the best stretch bigs of his generation, and arguably one of the best to ever do it.
James taught Love how to adjust both as an athlete and a professional. Over time, everything began clicking and operating like a well-oiled machine.
"I think some of those moments, and, you know, him yelling at me and wanting me to be better was, I hope, because he saw something more in me. And I was rough around the edges. I needed to grow up in a lot of ways. I think that took looking in the mirror and understanding that things weren't adding up as I would have liked," he admitted.
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Love got a ring at the end
During his time in "The Land," Love added two more All-Star nods to his résumé. But he also got something much bigger — the elusive Larry O'Brien trophy. It became living proof that sometimes sacrifice is exactly what leads to something greater.
The trio of Bron, Kyrie, and Kevin dominated in their own unique way. Sure, they ended up with just one championship, but even that one ring is more than enough for Love, who walked away from that partnership with a completely different set of habits and values that followed him, and still do, wherever he goes.
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In the end, The King didn't just elevate K-Love's game; he helped him become the best version of himself as a teammate, as a professional and, most importantly, as a champion.
This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Nov 17, 2025, where it first appeared in the Latest News section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
