The NBA has evolved greatly since Miami Heat forward entered the league in 2008.
Love says the players have reached a new level, especially guys like Duke forward Cooper Flagg. The 6-foot-9 Flagg is the expected No. 1 pick in the June NBA draft.
"Now, you're getting these guys that are 6-8 plus, 6-10, 7 feet tall, that are just really doing everything out there on the floor," Love said in an interview with ESPN. "And I think it's just incredibly hard to guard and it's taking the game to a really amazing place as well, because you're seeing these guys that are unicorns out there, guys that are really doing everything and refining their skills, whereas in the past they might not have worked on these things. The growth within the game, it's really amazing to see where it has gone, especially in the skill and player development at an even earlier age."
Flagg had 30 points, seven rebounds and six assists in Thursday's victory against Arizona in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament. After the Blue Devils lose Flagg, they have incoming freshman Cam Boozer.
He is the son of former NBA player Carlos Boozer. With Love in attendance Wednesday at the presentation, Cam Boozer collected his second national Gatorade Player of the Year award.
"I mean, he'll grab the ball off the backboard, take it all the way down and, if somebody doesn't stop him from putting it in the rim, he'll pull up, he'll get to that next situation," Love said of Boozer. "He'll work from the mid-post. He's handling the ball. He's passing the ball and getting his teammates involved. It has really become, like I said, position-less basketball, and guys are able to really do everything out there on the floor. You just didn't see that when I first came into the league."
Shandel Richardson is the publisher of Miami Heat On SI. He can be reached at shandelrich@gmail.com
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