LOS ANGELES (AP) -The media demands on UCLA freshman Kevin Love exceed anything in the classroom or on the basketball court.
As many as 10 requests a day pour into the school for interviews and photo sessions with Love, who averages 16.5 points and 10.2 rebounds for the fifth-ranked Bruins.
“It’s unbelievable the amount of attention that this young man has received,” coach Ben Howland said Tuesday, “and it really took away from his focus of what he’s here to do, which is to go to school and number two, work hard to improve and get better as a player.”
So Howland has restricted the media’s access to Love to Tuesdays and after games, making him the only UCLA player with such limitations.
But Love was a no-show Tuesday, leaving local media irritated that he missed the session.
The school later scrambled to get Love on a teleconference with reporters after practice, and he apologized at the beginning, middle and end for his absence.
“I got all mixed up because we got new class schedules,” he said. “I made honor roll and I’m trying to do it again.”
Love said the media attention doesn’t wear on him.
“With UCLA and being a big man here, it just comes with the territory,” he said. “I like all the media stuff. I embrace it and I enjoy it. I want to be a sportscaster.”
Love and Southern California freshman O.J. Mayo shared the covers of Sports Illustrated and The Sporting News during the same week this fall.
Howland defended his decision to limit Love off the court.
“These kids are not professional basketball players, they’re college students,” he said. “He’s been on the cover of every magazine. I’m talking about photo shoots until 12:30 in the morning with big-time magazines. Just incredibly long, arduous things. It’s hard.”
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