MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -Kevin Love: The best new product of 2008-09.
At least that’s how the Minnesota Timberwolves are touting their excellent rookie forward in a spoof “infomercial” the team is distributing as a campaign for rookie of the year honors.
In the short video that features highlights, stats and plenty of infomercial cheese, Love is touting “Mr. Love Miracle Glass Cleaner,” a product he says helps him clean the glass consistently to a streak-free shine.
“I’ve had so much success that people keep asking me, ‘Kevin, how do you keep the backboards so clean?”’ Love says in his best impersonation of a campy infomercial host. “Well today, I’m here to share that secret with all of you.”
The team has also built a Web site – www.votemrlove.com – to show the video and build support for a player who has quietly put up one of the better rebounding seasons by a rookie in league history.
ht trade from Memphis in a deal involving O.J. Mayo, Love is averaging 11.2 points and 9.0 rebounds a game this season. Those numbers have been increasing since Al Jefferson went down with a knee injury just before the All-Star break.
Love is second in the NBA behind Dwight Howard in total offensive rebounds, despite averaging just 24.9 minutes per game, and third in rebounds per 48 minutes. He leads the league in offensive rebound percentage – a stat that calculates the percentage of rebounds grabbed compared to total rebounds available while a player is in the game.
“Mr. Love Glass Cleaner will give you that clean, streak-free glass every time you use it,” a voiceover gushes. “And Mr. Love does all the work for you.”
The marketing campaign – which is being sent to about 125 media members who vote on the award – is necessary because Love’s progress has gone largely unnoticed playing for the Timberwolves (21-54), who have the fifth-worst record in the league.
“Kevin’s played very, very well. He’s got to be in consideration for rookie of the year,” said coach Kevin McHale. “I think he’s done a lot, and he’s just going to get better and better and better.”
McHale, though, said he thinks Chicago’s Derrick Rose should win because the Bulls are in playoff position.
is 25 double-doubles far exceed that of any other rookie, and is one more than Dallas Mavericks All-Star Dirk Nowitzki.
“I really like him,” Nowitzki said of Love after a 108-88 victory over the Wolves on Tuesday. “He plays hard. He can make the little 15-, 16-footer. He’s a heck of a rebounder, especially offensively.
“The guy just plays fearless and he keeps coming. For a rookie, that’s pretty impressive. So the sky’s the limit for him.”
When he was playing limited minutes earlier in the season, Love was actually more efficient and effective on both ends of the floor, McHale said. Since Love has taken on a bigger role with Jefferson out, his play on the defensive end has suffered a bit.
“That’s not Kevin Love. That’s every young guy,” McHale said. “That’s why when you give them minutes, they usually take a while to figure out how to play defense because they’re worried about the other stuff. But I thought that, overall, he’s had a tremendous year. He’s really improved in a lot of areas.”
Veteran Wolves forward Brian Cardinal picked up the nickname “The Custodian” for his blue-collar work in college at Purdue. He shows up in the informercial as a custodian who endorses Mr. Love Miracle Glass Cleaner, and has watched the 20-year-old grow up as the season has worn on.
unate, because he’s had those opportunities and done well and he’s played hard, played aggressive. That’s what we need from him.”
The kit the team is sending out to media members across the country also includes a sample size of the glass cleaner, a Kevin Love shammy and a “Mr. Love Sponge.”
In his short time at UCLA, Love didn’t take an acting class, something he said should be apparent in the video.
“You saw in the infomercial, I didn’t look that good acting,” Love said. “That was part of the joke. I don’t think I’m going to end up on the big screen anytime soon.”
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Kevin Love rookie of the year Web site: www.votemrlove.com.
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