Love committed to play college basketball at UCLA in July 2006. He was a highly touted prospect, and many colleges had been pursuing him. Ultimately, Love decided that UCLA would be the best fit for him. Before the 2007-08 season, Love was granted permission to wear number 42 for the Bruins, even though the school had retired the number for Walt Hazzard in 1996.

Once Love arrived at UCLA, he made an immediate impact on the team. In his freshman season, he helped lead the Bruins to the Final Four of the NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament. UCLA would ultimately lose to the Memphis Tigers, but Love's impressive performances throughout the tournament earned him widespread recognition. At the end of the regular season, Love was named consensus first-team All-American, Pac-10 Player of the Year, All-Pac-10, and Pac-10 Freshman of the Year. He led the Bruins with 17.5 ppg, 10.6 rpg, and 23 double-doubles.

In his sophomore season, Love continued to impress. He led the Bruins to the regular season Pac-10 conference championship, the conference tournament championship, and a No. 1 seed in the 2009 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament. While the team would ultimately lose to Villanova in the second round of the tournament, Love's individual accomplishments continued to pile up. He was once again named first-team All-American and All-Pac-10, and was also named the Pac-10 Player of the Year for the second consecutive season.

Love's time at UCLA helped to prepare him for the NBA, where he has had a successful career. After being selected fifth overall in the 2008 NBA Draft, Love spent his first six seasons with the Minnesota Timberwolves. During that time, he established himself as one of the best power forwards in the league, earning three All-Star selections and two All-NBA Second Team honors. In 2014, Love was traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers, where he would play for the next four seasons. While with the Cavs, Love helped the team win the 2016 NBA championship, playing a key role in their victory over the Golden State Warriors in the NBA Finals.

In 2018, Love signed a four-year contract extension with the Cavaliers. However, he was eventually traded to the Miami Heat in 2021, where he continues to play today. Throughout his NBA career, Love has remained a consistent force on the court, averaging over 18 points and 11 rebounds per game for his career. His time at UCLA helped him to develop the skills and confidence necessary to become a standout player in the NBA.