Love: ‘Unicorns’ taking hoops to ‘incredible location’

• Myron MedcalfMar 27, 2025, 02:47 PM ET Close Covers college basketball

• Joined ESPN.com in 2011
• Graduate of Minnesota State University, Mankato

As a freshman at UCLA nearly 20 years ago, Kevin Love was viewed as an unique talent due to the fact that of his passing ability and offensive flexibility, but the five-time NBA All-Star said there is a brand-new crop of “unicorns” who are more advanced than players of his generation at this phase.

“Now, you’re getting these guys that are 6-8 plus, 6-10, 7 feet high, that are just actually doing everything out there on the floor,” Love informed ESPN on Wednesday. “And I believe it’s just incredibly tough to protect and it’s taking the game to an actually remarkable place also, due to the fact that you’re seeing these guys that are unicorns out there, guys that are really doing everything and improving their skills, whereas in the past they might not have dealt with these things.

“The growth within the game, it’s really amazing to see where it has gone, particularly in the ability and player development at an even previously age.”

Love indicated Duke’s Cooper Flagg, the forecasted No. 1 choice in the 2025 NBA draft, and Webcam Boozer, the first-class hire who will follow Flagg as the staple of Jon Scheyer’s next recruiting class with the Blue Devils, as examples.

NBA star Kevin Love stated he believes that young, tall players, such as two-time Gatorade nationwide player of the year Camera Boozer (above), have skillsets that were when foreign to players at their positions. Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Love, who shocked Boozer with his 2nd Gatorade National Gamer of the Year award today, said the two young stars– and other players like them– will enter the next phase of their professions with a capability that was as soon as foreign to players at their positions.

“I mean, he’ll get the ball off the backboard, take it all the method down and, if somebody doesn’t stop him from putting it in the rim, he’ll pull up, he’ll get to that next circumstance,” Love said of Boozer. “He’ll work from the midpost. He’s managing the ball. He’s passing the ball and getting his teammates involved.Editor’s Picks 2 Associated”It has really become, like I said, positionless basketball, and guys are able to really do everything out there on the floor. You simply didn’t see that when I initially came into the league.”

Flagg will pursue his chance at history as 1-seed Duke plays 4-seed Arizona in the Sweet 16 on Thursday night. Only 3 freshmen in college basketball history– Kevin Durant, Anthony Davis and Zion Williamson– have actually won the Wood Award. Just 5 freshmen have been called A lot of Impressive Player in the NCAA tournament.Flagg’s eventual departure to the NBA will set the phase for Scheyer’s top-ranked recruiting class, which will be anchored by Boozer and his twin, Cayden Boozer (No. 16 in the 2025 ESPN 100). Like Flagg, Boozer is a multidimensional 6-foot-9 standout who is capable of affecting the game in different methods.

“What Duke has actually finished with players in my position over the last couple of years,” Boozer told ESPN before rattling off the names of Paolo Banchero, Zion Williamson, Jayson Tatum and Brandon Ingram. “Those are four guys who are all stars and some would say super stars or future super stars.

“I believe, simply the overall Duke culture in general, what they make with winning and making deep competition runs– that’s something that I have the ability to do here [in high school] So I think going to the next level, continuing that and likewise becoming the player I wish to be at the next level, where [Love] is at right now– I believe that was a big part of the decision for me.”