Former NBA player Stan Love, father of Miami Heat star Kevin Love, has died.
Stan Love died after a lengthy battle with an undisclosed illness. The four-year NBA veteran was 76.
Kevin Love announced the tragic news on Sunday in a heartfelt post on Instagram. In his post, Kevin provided a glimpse into his relationship with the man he called his “protector” and “first hero” (profanity edited by LBS).
“Dad, you fought for a long time,” Kevin Love wrote. “The hardest stretch being these past 6 months. The most painful to witness being these last few weeks. And even at the end as you continued to deteriorate – I still saw you as a Giant. My Protector. My first Hero.
“… As the memories stream down my face I feel as if I can see it all so clearly now. It’s a f—ed up fact of life that towards the end, your own life or someone else’s, things that once seemed so complicated and confusing now seem transparent.
“Like all of us, my Dad was imperfect. But despite his flaws, and my own, we are a successful story of father and son. A never ending bond, rooted in love, that will forever remain eternal.”
Kevin Love has been away from his teammates for several weeks due to what the Heat have listed as “personal reasons.” He missed the last 20 games of the regular season to be with his father.
Stan Love, a 6’9″ power forward just like his son, was drafted ninth overall by the Baltimore Bullets in the 1971 NBA Draft. The Oregon alum played two seasons for the Bullets, followed by another two-year run with the Los Angeles Lakers. Love also had a brief stint in the ABA as a member of the San Antonio Spurs.
In 227 career NBA games, Stan Love averaged 6.8 points and 4.0 rebounds on 44.0% shooting.
