Is UCLA Alum Kevin Love a Hall of Famer?

What do you consider a Basketball Hall of Famer?

Is it the impact they had on the game? How about stats alone? Or maybe even the individual accomplishments?

Kevin Love is a name that basketball fans around the world know, but the casual fan may not. He's not the flashiest player, as he built a career—16 years and still going—by getting his hands dirty along with elite shooting.

College accomplishments rarely dictate a Hall of Famer, but Love was unstoppable, leading the UCLA Bruins to the Final Four, averaging a double-double and shooting 34% from 3. Not only that, he collected a myriad of awards—seven, to be exact.

That college career helped vault the 6-foot-8 forward to become a top-five draft pick in the 2008 NBA Draft, where he was selected by the Memphis Grizzlies and subsequently traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves for O.J. Mayo.

In the seven years Love dominated the stat sheets in Minneapolis, he didn't make the playoffs once. But the impact he made on the game could be vital to a team searching for an NBA Championship.

Individually, some would call his time in Minnesota elite.

He averaged 19.2 points per game and 12.2 rebounds per game, the latter leading in franchise history. Not only that, he was the first player in NBA history to register 2,000 points, 900 rebounds, and 100 3-pointers made in a single season.

At 25 years old, it only seemed like Love was just scratching the surface.

But with the Timberwolves seemingly unable to get over the hump, they shifted back into rebuild mode and maximized the return on their superstar.

The Cleveland Cavaliers reacquired LeBron James, Kyrie Irving was transforming into a superstar, and they had their eyes set on Love.

Cleveland had the number one pick in the 2014 Draft, selecting Andrew Wiggins—but instantly turned to Love. From there, Cleveland had a Big Three with James, Irving, and Love.

From the first year on, Love contributed to the Cavs reaching the NBA Finals for four straight years, most notably during their rivalry with Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors. While Golden State mostly had Cleveland's number, the Cavs managed to capture gold—the franchise's first-ever title.

And even though he occasionally played third fiddle, his impact was hard to ignore.

So, back to the original question. What do you consider a Hall of Famer?

On top of that impressive résumé, Love won the NBA's Most Improved Player, was a five-time NBA All-Star, and won Olympic Gold with Team USA in 2012.

While his career is on the decline, his presence is still needed, and he has stayed around to become a locker room leader and role player. His career is already established—now he's just after the Love of the Game.

The Hall of Fame tends to value rings, longevity, and overall narrative—and Love checks those boxes, despite not being a big-ticket name.