Unlike many millionaire athletes, Kevin Love wants to be a winner.

Timberwolves power forward Kevin Love went “on the record” during an interview with Yahoo! Sports to make public his frustration with the direction that Minnesota’s organization is heading.

The two-time All-Star, who the Memphis Grizzlies took out of UCLA with the fifth pick in the 2008 NBA Draft and then shipped to the Twin Cities for O. J. Mayo in an eight-player deal, inked a four-year contract extension worth $62 million to remain with the Timberwolves in January.

Nevertheless, although content with his deal, Love, who averaged 26.0 points and 13.3 rebounds last season, understandably wants to play for a contender.

“My patience is not high,” said Love, 23, the lone member of the 2012 U.S. Olympic team who has never had an opportunity to compete in the NBA playoffs. “Would yours be, especially when I’m a big proponent of greatness surrounding itself with greatness? All these (Team USA) guys seem to have great players around them.”

Love, who established the league record for consecutive games with double figures in points and rebounds, continued expressing his dissatisfaction with the Wolves hierarchy.

“It’s tough seeing all these guys that are young and older who have all played in the playoffs,” said Love, who made the All-NBA Second Team in 2012. “When they start talking about that, I have nothing to talk about. If I don’t make the playoffs next year, I don’t know what will happen.”

Current Timberwolves Derrick Williams and Michael Beasley are decent forwards and Ricky Rubio has a chance to mature into a truly elite point guard.

Minnesota, who has only been rebuilding since 2005, verbally agreed to a contract with shopworn guard Brandon Roy and dealt for Rockets forward Chase Budinger this off-season.

Unfortunately for Love and the Timberwolves, Budinger is a mediocre ballplayer and Roy is attempting to return from a degenerative knee condition that forced him to retire at the tender age of 26.

As Lowe noted, Budinger and Roy aren’t exactly akin to Tim Duncan and Kobe Bryant.

“We need to make some moves. We can’t just stand still. We have to make this happen,” said Love, the rebounding champion in 2011.

It is imperative to realize Love is not acting like a scorching hemorrhoid in this instance.

On the contrary, it is evident that Kevin Love is passionately committed to winning and that is, sadly, more than can be said for many professional athletes.

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