Longtime Chicago Bulls forward Bob Love died on Monday after a battle with cancer, the team announced.
He was 81.
“Bob was a true legend and a beloved member of our family,” the Bulls said in a statement, in part. “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 a passionate community ambassador for the Bulls, dedicating himself to charitable causes and uplifting countless lives with his motivational speeches. We are profoundly grateful for his enduring contributions and legacy both on and off the court in Chicago.”
Love was first selected in the fourth round of the 1965 NBA Draft by the Cincinnati Royals, and he made his debut in the league the following season. After two years with the franchise, Love landed in Milwaukee briefly before joining the Bulls during the 1968-69 campaign.
He quickly dominated with 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 team and three all-defensive team honors with the Bulls. Love helped lead the Bulls to the Eastern Conference finals twice in 1974 and 1975, too, which was the team’s deepest run in the playoffs at the time.
Love jumped around during his final year in the league during the 1976-77 season, playing for the Bulls, the New York Knicks and the Seattle SuperSonics before he retired. In total, he averaged 17.6 points and 5.9 rebounds in 789 games over his 11 seasons in the NBA.
Love racked up 12,623 points with the Bulls, which is the third-most in team history behind only Scottie Pippen and Michael Jordan. The Bulls retired his No. 10 jersey, which made him the second player in team history to have his jersey raised at the United Center. Love later worked as a team ambassador and, despite growing up with a stutter, became a motivational speaker around 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 the Bulls. “Never let anyone tell you that you can’t succeed. All my life I wanted to be like Dr. Martin Luther King; I wanted to be a great speaker. I couldn’t, but I had those dreams and I held onto those dreams all my life. When I get up there sometimes in front of thousands of people, I envision myself being Dr. King or John Kennedy. Those were my heroes.
“Everybody has a struggle in life you have to overcome. I’m an example. Don’t give up on your dreams no matter what everyone says.”