NBA All-Star Kevin Love Talks Video Games

All-Star NBA center Kevin Love has been one of the top stories of the offseason. After (maybe) asking the Timberwolves to trade him, teams from around the league have tried to entice him away from Minnesota. But he was able to take a break from all that in June at the E3 video game conference in Los Angeles. Between playing the latest titles from Activision, SI Kids spoke to Love about his favorite games and the "cheat codes" he uses when playing NBA2K.

What was it like getting to check out some of the newest games from Activision at the E3 conference in LA?

It’s been unbelievable so far, just seeing what Activision does and seeing what E3 is all about at the convention center. It’s unbelievable how many people are here and how video games are advancing now. It just blows my mind. Every year, there’s something new to see. It was cool to check out these new games, one being Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare Destiny and Skylanders: Trap Team. It’s pretty amazing to see what they can do.

Are you a big video gamer?

I really used to be. It’s something that I definitely do in my free time. Especially during the season when we have down time, I’m a big homebody. So whether it’s on the Xbox One or Playstation 4, I really play any game, it doesn’t matter to me. But, obviously, I do all the basketball games and only play as myself. (laughs)



Besides yourself, then, which are your favorite players and teams to use in NBA2K?

Whether it’s OKC or Miami, I like to play with one of them, obviously, because it’s almost like a cheat code, playing with LeBron [James] or [Kevin] Durant. Other than that, I like to play as the Timberwolves to see what I can do: rebounding-wise and scoring-wise, throwing the outlet pass, shooting from the outside. So that’s always fun to see. But I don’t discriminate. I’ll put it on random a lot and play my friends in Portland or New York or in Minnesota or elsewhere, so it’s a fun way to stay connected.

Are you excited for NBA 2K15?

Absolutely. Hopefully I’ll be a little better player than I was in the last one (laughs). Hopefully my rating will have gone up. But I say that all in good fun. It’s always fun to check out the new games that come around.

What’s the video game setup like in your house? What are some of your favorite games to play?

I go all the way back to the original Sega and N64. That’s what I grew up on. I remember playing Mario Kart, Mario 64, Ken GriffeyJr. Baseball, 007. There are so many games I could mention from that system that I still continue to play when some of my friends come into town. But, you know, in this new day and age, it’s the Call of Duties of the world. With the new game coming out in November, obviously I’m going to get that. Hopefully before anyone else, we’ll see (laughs).

This week Ricky Rubio came out and said he was going to try to talk you into staying in Minnesota. How does it feel to have that kind of support from your teammates?

It’s great to have the support. I’ve played six years in the league now, and you only play in the NBA once. But for him to try to convince me and talk to me about it, I think it’s what he’s supposed to do in slowly becoming a leader. He’s played a few years in the league now and he’s continuing to work on his game and try to get better. I think he’s supposed to say that and he’s supposed to try to do that. I think Ricky’s really learning how to be a professional.

Photo: Ann Heisenfelt/AP Photo, Activision