Jerry Colangelo Rips Kevin Love After Olympic Exit: "He Wasn't In Shape. And He Was Way Behind As It Turned Out. So You Move On. Call It A Mistake."

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Kevin Love didn't have the best season this year on the Cleveland Cavaliers. Love averaged 12.2 PPG and 7.4 APG while shooting only 40.9% from the field and 36.5% from beyond the arc. After his year with the Cleveland Cavaliers, it seems as though Kevin Love wanted to try his hand at being part of the USA basketball Olympic team, only to withdraw to continue rehabbing an injury.

During his time with Team USA, Kevin Love was clearly not at his best. There is no question that he seemed out of sorts during the times that he did play. USA Basketball managing director Jerry Colangelo has recently revealed that Kevin Love was originally selected to the team, but also ripped Love for being out of shape, and categorized his selection to the Olympic squad as a "mistake".

I didn't think Kevin Love was going to play. I wasn't even sure he had much left to play. He reached out to us and said he was in shape and said he felt he owed us. And on the basis of that, we're looking at someone with international experience who at one time was a heck of a rebounder and could still shoot the ball. You know, being like a 12th man on a roster.

Well, it didn't work out. He wasn't in shape. And he was way behind as it turned out. So you move on. Call it a mistake. Call it giving someone an opportunity. Someone who had equity with us.

The interview from Colangelo seems to place a lot of blame on Love, as Colangelo claims that Love wanted to be part of Team USA while telling the team he was in shape. Focusing on one player and ripping him when talking to the media didn't sit well with people, however, and The Ringer's Bill Simmons took a shot at Colangelo and said he was "throwing Kevin Love under the bus".

While it is understandable that Jerry Colangelo could potentially be upset about Kevin Love's conditioning, calling him out in front of media members isn't the best approach to the situation. Hopefully, Kevin Love can get in shape for next season, and experience a bounceback for the last few years.


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