Longtime Chicago Bulls forward Bob Love died Monday after a battle with cancer, the team announced.
He was 81 years old.
“Bob was a true legend and a beloved member of our family,” the Bulls said in a statement. “During his nine remarkable seasons with the Bulls, Bob was a three-time NBA All-Star, a tenacious defender and a cornerstone of our team… He became an inspirational figure and passionate ambassador for the community of the Bulls, devoting himself to charitable causes. and uplifting countless lives with his motivational speeches. We are deeply grateful for his lasting contributions and legacy, on and off the field in Chicago.
Love was first selected in the fourth round of the 1965 NBA draft by the Cincinnati Royals, and he made his big league debut the following season. After two years with the franchise, Love briefly landed in Milwaukee before joining the Bulls during the 1968-69 campaign.
He quickly dominated the franchise during his nine seasons with the organization. The Louisiana native averaged 21.3 points and 6.8 rebounds per game while earning three All-Star nods, two All-NBA teams and three all-defensive team honors with the Bulls. Love also helped the Bulls reach the Eastern Conference Finals twice in 1974 and 1975, which was the team’s deepest playoff run at the time.
Love jumped around during his final year in the league during the 1976-77 season, playing for the Bulls, New York Knicks and Seattle SuperSonics before retiring. Overall, he averaged 17.6 points and 5.9 rebounds in 789 games during his 11 seasons in the NBA.
Love accumulated 12,623 points with the Bulls, which is the third most in team history behind Scottie Pippen and Michael Jordan. The Bulls retired his No. 10 jersey, making him the second player in team history to have his jersey hoisted at the United Center. Love later worked as a team ambassador and, although he grew up with a stutter, he became a motivational speaker in the Chicago area.
“I talk about never giving up, never playing the victim in life, and holding on to your dreams,” Love said in 2015, via bulls. “Don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t be successful. All my life I wanted to be like Dr. Martin Luther King; I wanted to be a great orator. I couldn’t, but I had these dreams and I have kept. I have dreamed all my life When I am up there, sometimes in front of thousands of people, I imagine myself to be Dr. King or John Kennedy. They were my heroes.
“Everyone has a struggle in life that they have to overcome. I’m an example. Don’t give up on your dreams, no matter what anyone says.”
