MIAMI (AP) 鈥� Former NBA player Stan Love, the brother of Beach Boys singer Mike Love and the father of Miami Heat player Kevin Love, has died. He was 76.
Kevin Love announced his father's death Sunday night. No cause was given, but he referenced longstanding health issues in the post.
鈥淒ad, you fought for a long time,鈥� Kevin posted. 鈥淭he 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 鈥� I still saw you as a Giant. My Protector. My first Hero.鈥�
He went on to write, 鈥淒ad, I鈥檓 so proud to be your son. My only hope is that you鈥檙e proud of me. It was all I ever wanted. Thank you for everything.鈥�
Stan Love was a 6-foot-9 forward who starred at Morningside High School in Inglewood, California, and at Oregon before he was selected ninth overall by Baltimore in the 1971 NBA draft.
He averaged 6.8 points and 4.0 rebounds in 226 games in four seasons with the Bullets and the Los Angeles Lakers. He also played 12 games for San Antonio in the American Basketball Association.
Mike Love posted, 鈥淢y big younger brother, you called me the superstar, but to me you are the superstar!! You always had my back! I am blessed to be your brother. I will cherish our lives spent together, whether spoofing on each other or reliving memories. I know you鈥檙e on the big court now, pounding down 3鈥檚; don鈥檛 foul out, bro.鈥�
Stan Love introduced Kevin to basketball after the family moved from California to Oregon in the 1980s. He often attended UCLA games along with Mike Love when Kevin starred for the Bruins as a freshman in 2007-08.
鈥淗e鈥檇 always tell me stories about Wes Unseld, Connie Hawkins, Jerry West,鈥� the younger Love . 鈥淚 wanted to be the greatest basketball player of all time, like every little kid wanted to be.鈥�
The elder Love focused his hard-nosed development efforts on Kevin, his middle child and second son. Some days, Kevin would be outside in the rain at their Lake Oswego, Oregon, home shooting jumper after jumper.
鈥淢y hands would be all dirty, I鈥檇 come in and make the floor all muddy,鈥� Love told AP. 鈥淥nce he saw I was a self-starter, then he kind of backed off.鈥�
Besides Kevin, the elder Love is survived by wife Karen, son Collin and daughter Emily.
Kevin Love has been away from Heat because of personal reasons and will not play in Game 4 against Cleveland on Monday night.
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The Associated Press
