Bob Love facts for kids
Love with the Chicago Bulls
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| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | December 8, 1942 Bastrop, Louisiana, U.S. |
| Died | November 18, 2024 (aged 81) Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
| High school | Morehouse (Bastrop, Louisiana) |
| Listed height | 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) |
| Listed weight | 215 lb (98 kg) |
| Career information | |
| College | Southern (1961–1965) |
| NBA Draft | 1965 / Round: 4 / Pick: 33rd overall |
| Selected by the Cincinnati Royals | |
| Pro career | 1965–1977 |
| Career history | |
| 1965–1966 | Trenton Colonials |
| 1966–1968 | Cincinnati Royals |
| 1968 | Milwaukee Bucks |
| 1968–1976 | Chicago Bulls |
| 1976–1977 | New York Nets |
| 1977 | Seattle SuperSonics |
| Career highlights and awards | |
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| Career NBA statistics | |
| Points | 13,895 (17.6 ppg) |
| Rebounds | 4,653 (5.9 rpg) |
| Assists | 1,123 (1.4 apg) |
Robert Earl "Butterbean" Love (December 8, 1942 – November 18, 2024) was an American professional basketball player. He was best known for his time with the National Basketball Association's (NBA) Chicago Bulls. Love was a talented forward who could shoot with both hands. After his playing career, he became the Bulls' director of community affairs and a goodwill ambassador. His nickname "Butterbean" came from his childhood love for lima beans.
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Early Life and College Basketball
Love grew up in Louisiana, where his family worked in cotton fields. He made his first basketball hoop from a wire hanger and used a pair of socks as a ball. From a young age, Love struggled with a severe stuttering problem. This made him afraid to speak in school, fearing others would make fun of him.
Love was a star athlete at Morehouse High School in Bastrop, Louisiana. He excelled in both basketball and football, leading his teams to state championships. After graduating in 1961, he received a football scholarship to Southern University in Baton Rouge. However, he ended up playing basketball there instead.
During his college career, Love was an amazing player. He averaged many points and rebounds each game. He was named an NAIA All-American three times. Southern University honored him by retiring his number 41 jersey on January 7, 2012. Love also earned a degree in food and nutrition.
Professional Basketball Career
In 1965, the Cincinnati Royals picked Love in the fourth round of the 1965 NBA draft. He didn't make the team at first and played in the Eastern Basketball League for a season. There, he averaged over 25 points per game and was named Rookie of the Year. This success gave him the confidence to try out for the Royals again, and this time he made the team.
Love played two seasons for the Royals, mostly as a backup player. In 1968, the Milwaukee Bucks chose him in the NBA Expansion Draft. Soon after, he was traded to the Chicago Bulls during the 1968–69 season. Love had asked for this trade because he felt his communication problems were holding him back with the Bucks.
Love truly shined with the Chicago Bulls under coach Dick Motta. He played for the Bulls for eight seasons. During seven of those seasons, he was the team's top scorer. He was also chosen for the NBA All-Star Game three times and named to the All-NBA Second Team twice. Love was also recognized for his defense, being named to the NBA's All-Defense Second Team three times.
His number 10 jersey was the second number ever retired by the Chicago Bulls, after Jerry Sloan's number 4. In 1995, Love even had his wedding ceremony to Rachel Dixon at the United Center, the Bulls' home arena. Love suffered a back injury in 1976, which led to him being traded to the Seattle SuperSonics. He retired from basketball shortly after.
Overcoming Challenges and Later Life
After his NBA career, Bob Love faced a difficult time. His severe stuttering made it hard for him to find a good job. At one point, he worked as a dishwasher and busboy, earning a low wage. However, the head of Nordstrom, John Nordstrom, was impressed by Love's hard work. Nordstrom offered to pay for Love to get speech therapy.
With the help of a speech therapist, Susan Hamilton, Love worked hard to overcome his stutter. He succeeded and became a powerful motivational speaker. In 1992, the Chicago Bulls hired him as their Director of Community Affairs. In this role, he spoke to thousands of teenagers each year, sharing his story and inspiring others.
Bob Love passed away on November 18, 2024, in Chicago, after a long battle with cancer. He was 81 years old.
Honors and Awards
Bob Love received many honors throughout his life.
- His number 10 jersey was retired by the Chicago Bulls on January 14, 1994.
- He received the Individual Achievement Award from the National Council for Communicative Disorders.
- He was given the NBA's Oscar Robertson Leadership Award in 1989.
- Love was inducted into the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame in 1983.
- He is also a member of the NAIA, Basketball Coaches, Illinois, and Helms Halls of Fame.
- There is a historical marker in Baton Rouge honoring him.
Images for kids
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Love in 2010
See also
In Spanish: Bob Love para niños
