Kevin Love is known for his Unabomber grizzle—a look that he unapologetically refers to as his rugged swag feel—but when the Timberwolves all-star power forward first came into the league, his chin-strap facial hair was mostly a cosmetic distraction from the baby fat that still clung to his six-foot-ten frame. Yeah, he admits now, it was a Color Me Badd beard. Now six years into his career—and in the midst of an MVP-caliber season—he's transformed his body, shedding thirty pounds and dramatically evolving his game. But the beard stayed. And grew. Show 'em your worst first, he says, laughing. Learned that from Kevin McHale. There are still traces of the angry fat kid Love used to be—when he lights into a ref during a game or, worse, an underachieving teammate afterward—but otherwise he has become a unique superstar, with the grit to outmuscle you for a rebound and the skill to turn it into a sixty-foot outlet pass or a twenty-five-foot step-back bomb.

Now that he looks like a leading man—and with free agency looming as an option at the end of next season, and the Wolves not exactly killing it on the court—everyone assumes that his next big move is to Los Angeles. He's dating actress Cody Horn, a California girl, and his Beach Boy uncle, Mike, co-wrote California Girls. So fess up, Kev: You're gone, right? People think it's so far-fetched that I would stay in Minnesota, he says. And I'm not shitting on the Lakers, but we have the better team, the better foundation. I'm having fun. Note the present tense.

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How to Get Kevin Love's "After" Look? Find an All-Star Barber and Sign Him to a Long Contract

If you're looking to score—and hey, who isn't?—you'll need an assist from a good hairdresser. Ask him to get your hair out of your face and to keep it tight on the sides. And get him to show you how to trim your beard so it fades naturally on your neck, without hard lines. Then tip him well. How to find the right guy? Word of mouth, says our stylist Thom Priano. If you see someone with a good haircut, ask who did it and go to him.

Suit and shirt by Tom Ford. Tie by Charvet.

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