Bob Love, Chicago Bulls basketball legend, dies at 81
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Bob Love, an NBA basketball legend who played nine seasons with the Chicago Bulls, died Monday.
Love died after a long battle with cancer, the Bulls said. He was 81.
His trademark smile lit up a room.
Love was born in Louisiana on Dec. 8, 1942. As a child, he suffered from a stutter, which led him to turn inward and dream of playing basketball professionally, according to the HistoryMakers.
Love used to practice with wire hangers shaped like hoops that he would nail into his grandmother's house, according to the HistoryMakers.
Love graduated from Morehouse High School in Bastrop, Louisiana and then from Southern University in Baton Rouge with a degree in Food and Nutrition. He first played basketball with the Cincinnati Royals.
Love went on to play for the Milwaukee Bucks—and joined the Bulls in the middle of the 1968-1969 season. During his time with the Bulls, Love—nicknamed "Butterbean"—was a three-time NBA All-Star.
The 6-foot 8-inch Love was also the Bulls' leading scorer for seven straight years, and remains the second-highest scorer in Bulls history after Michael Jordan.
The Bulls called Love a "tenacious defender and a cornerstone of our team."
Love suffered a back injury in 1976. He was traded to the New York Nets and then the Seattle SuperSonics, but his basketball career was soon over.
The HistoryMakers noted that Love struggled after leaving professional basketball after the 1976-1977 season—with his stutter posing a challenge for his obtaining steady work. He was working as a dishwasher for $4.45 an hour by 1984, the HistoryMakers reported.
But Love's stutter was treated by a therapist, and by 1992, he was back with the Bulls as the director of community affairs, the HistoryMakers reported. In the years afterward, Love also gave motivational speeches.
"[Love] 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," the Bulls said. "We are profoundly grateful for his enduring contributions and legacy both on and off the court in Chicago."
Love's No. 10 jersey has been retired and hangs in the rafters at the United Center—joining the likes of Jordan, Scottie Pippen, and Jerry Sloan.
One of Love's last public appearances was at the Bulls' inaugural Ring of Honor ceremony in January. Love was one of 13 inductees honored at the ceremony—along with the entire 1995-96 Bulls team.
However, the headline at the ceremony ended up being not Love and the other legends at the United Center that evening, but fans booing one of the honorees—the late general manager Jerry Krause—to the visible discomfort of Krause's widow, Thelma.
Chicago Bulls Chairman Jerry Reinsdorf released this statement honoring Love:
"I am deeply saddened by the loss of Bob Love, a true Chicago Bulls legend and beloved human being. Bob is one of the original Bulls greats. During his nine seasons with the Bulls, Bob became a cornerstone of the franchise, and his tenacious defense set high standards for competition and toughness. Toughness was not only a trademark of Bob's play on the court, but also apparent in his resiliency throughout his basketball career. His impact on the Bulls and the countless lives he touched through his work in the community will keep him in our memories forever. We send our deepest condolences to Bob's wife, Emily, and his entire family."
Reinsdorf's son, Bulls President and Chief Executive Officer Michael Reinsdorf, released this statement:
"We are heartbroken by the loss of Bob Love, who leaves a legacy of excellence, resilience, and community impact. Some of my first basketball memories were of Bob playing for the Bulls, and it was an honor to get to know him as a colleague and friend. Bob worked for years for the Bulls as a community ambassador, spending countless hours sharing motivational messages with fans. Bob will always be remembered for the kindness and determination he demonstrated throughout his career on and off the court, and his unwavering commitment to helping others."