Kevin Love: Why Timberwolves' Power Forward Is NBA's Next Big Thing

This past weekend, the elite of the NBA descended upon Los Angeles for the pomp and pageantry of the All-Star Game. Strangely enough, one of the brightest stars almost didn't get invited.

Such is the life of Minnesota Timberwolves power forward Kevin Love.

The unassuming third-year pro out of UCLA is enjoying a season for the ages, averaging 21.1 points and a league-high 15.5 rebounds per game. 

No one has put up numbers like that since Moses Malone back in 1982-83. Thirteen of the 24 players in Sunday's All-Star Game weren't even born then.

Love's rebounding numbers alone are astonishing. Dennis Rodman was the last NBA player to average more than 15.5 rebounds per game, pulling down 16.1 rebounds per game for the Chicago Bulls in 1996-97.

Love also happens to be shooting 42.5 percent from behind the three-point line this year, 16th-best in the NBA.

As Kevin Garnett, Tim Duncan and Dirk Nowitzki near the end of their careers, the new class of NBA power forwards is ready fill the impending void. But with all due apologies to the Clippers' Blake Griffin, Kevin Love is the next big thing in the NBA.

The revolution, however, will not be televised. 

From an entertainment standpoint, Love is not nearly as sexy as Griffin, whose explosive athleticism results in highlight-reel plays. Love relies more on exceptional footwork and Rodman-like positioning to dominate the glass.

Dunks will get you on SportsCenter. Rebounds? Not so much.

As Timberwolves games aren't frequently shown on national television, few saw the 31 points and 31 rebounds that he posted against the New York Knicks back on Nov. 12. Or the 43 and 17 that he hung on the Denver Nuggets on Dec. 18.

While the lack of attention doesn't bother Love, it was the primary factor in one of the biggest oversights in All-Star history. Love wasn't initially named to the Western Conference roster as either a starter or a reserve, getting an invite only because of an injury to Houston Rockets center Yao Ming.

The whole situation is puzzling, especially when you consider that Love has already tallied a league-best 51 double-doubles (in 56 games) this year. He's also sitting on a 42-game double-double streak, notching at least 10 points and 10 rebounds in every game he's played since Nov. 19.

Love's emergence this year shouldn't be all that surprising. Last season, he averaged 14 points and 11 rebounds with 28.6 minutes per game, primarily as the Timberwolves sixth man. 

With the offseason trade of Al Jefferson to Utah, Love is now the main option on offense for Minnesota, a team that has struggled this year to find its identity.

The same cannot be said for Love, who has brought his lunch-pail mentality to the arena every single night, even as his team started with a disappointing 13-43 record.

Unfortunately, without a better supporting cast, Love will probably toil in anonymity at least until the end of next season, when his rookie deal expires.

Regardless of what happens, expect more of the same out of Love, who, in less than three short years, has become one of the most consistent players in the NBA.

So while the revolution may not be televised, it's definitely coming. And there's not much that anyone can do to stop it.