Kevin Love speaking to Dr. Brook Choulet in Phoenix, Arizona.
Barret Elengold, Scottsdale Event Photography
When Kevin Love talks about mental performance, he’s not just referring to points or rebounds. For the five-time NBA All-Star, mental performance is a mindset that applies to every part of his life. Whether he’s preparing for a big game or spending the morning with his family, he extends the same principles that have kept him performing at a high level for years: self-awareness, structure, and gratitude. Love understands something that many athletes take years to start to recognize: there is greater self-confidence and self-worth when your passions and interests extend beyond your sport.
Pre-Game Routines for A Calm Mind
When asked about his morning rituals, Love laughed. “Cold showers. It wakes me up, keeps my energy steady, and makes me feel good.” He tries to set a positive tone for the day early on through breathwork, nutrition, and hydration. “Not every day is made the same, but understanding what my brain and body need, and continuing to learn that even in my 18th season, is the beauty of it.”
On game days, Love focuses on staying grounded: cold showers for alertness, breakfast with his family, and deep breathing for focus. “My routine keeps evolving, but I always come back to balance: family time, gratitude, and being present.”
Ahead of tip-off, he’ll listen to something acoustic or calming to avoid getting his heart rate up on his drive into the arena. His intention is to calm his nervous system and enter a calm state before playing. “Keeping your heart rate at a good, steady baseline over the course of that time leading up to tip-off is paramount,” he described.
The Power of Rest and Recovery
What’s Love’s non-negotiable? Sleep. “They call it the NBA nap for a reason,” he said with a laugh. “Even if I don’t fall asleep, I’ll close my eyes, breathe, and get into a meditation-type space.” Earlier in his career, he struggled with the pressure to perform. “My self-worth wasn’t in the right place,” he admitted. “I thought if I failed on the court, everything else would fall apart.”
What changed the narrative for him was learning self-compassion and mindfulness, along with therapy. “I’ve been able to lower my shoulders and just breathe,” he said. “That’s allowed me to actually fall into restorative sleep and show up better.”
Rewiring the Conversation Through The Kevin Love Fund
Love learning that success and self-worth aren’t defined by his on-court performance now fuels several initiatives of the Kevin Love Fund (KLF). He recognized that there are so many people, whether it be parents, coaches, etc. that expect a lot out of student-athletes, and there’s a lot of pressure on that population specifically.
“It was something that I had really wanted to hone in on and circle as a space to impact, so many kids going into the college ranks and student athletes. With the Kevin Love Fund, being able to impact and allow for self-compassion and understanding, you are more than just an athlete, and your identity doesn’t have to be just tied up in achievement. I was that person who thought I could achieve myself out of my mental health struggles. And once I got that next thing, I felt like I just came back to my initial baseline, and I’m like, all right, what’s next? I’ve found that there just has to be a better way. And I don’t think that anybody, let alone student-athletes, benefits from withholding that self-compassion.”
Love acknowledged that he would’ve benefited from learning mental skills and emotional regulation back in middle school and high school. That is part of what drives him to provide these resources to others now through the Kevin Love Fund.
KLF’s latest curriculum expanding that messaging to a younger audience, introducing emotional-regulation and self-expression for elementary schools. “Even my two-year-old understands emotions,” he said. “She’s learning to take a breath when she gets worked up. As parents, as teachers, as caretakers, there’s just such a great opportunity to have, a really lasting long-term impact, especially when their brains are so susceptible to change.”
Teaching emotional literacy early, he believes, can change entire trajectories. “If kids know how to process failure, loss, or not making the team, they’ll be better off long term, and they’ll know how to help others.”
Redefining Success and Connections
One thing Love highlighted in our conversation was his evolving friendships. “It used to feel harder to make real connections, but the more I’ve shared my story and learned to listen, the deeper my relationships have become,” he said. Love referenced the Harvard Study of Adult Development, which has tracked happiness for decades. “People think success is fame or money, but at the end of life, it’s relationships that matter most,” he said.
Love now defines success for himself through his impact. “I think of this Robin Williams quote about not knowing your true impact in the world, but knowing some people are better off because you were here,” he said. “That kind of giving makes me feel more grounded and comfortable in my own skin.”
Resilience is The Word
I asked Love about the one word he would use to describe his mindset for this season. “Resilience,” he said without a pause. Through the Kevin Love Fund, his advocacy, and his own example, he is role-modeling that self-worth is defined by actions in all areas of life, not just sport. “We’re teaching kids that emotions aren’t weaknesses,” he said. “They’re the foundation for strength, compassion, and connection. And that’s where real resilience starts.”