Bob Love is one of the shining examples of how determination and grit will never let you get defeated. For almost half of his life, Robert Earl Love struggled with his stuttering problem. It even came between his career, despite his 20 points per game average with the Milwaukee Bucks. Things took a brighter turn when he joined the Chicago Bulls. His perseverance and passion reached their peak in the 1971-72 season when Love achieved a career-high average of 25.8 points per game. Nicknamed “Butterbean” for his fondness for beans, the basketball legend played for three teams during his NBA career.

On November 18, 2024, the Bulls announced the heartbreaking news of Love’s passing away at the age of 81 after a long battle with cancer. As we reminisce about Love’s kindness towards people and determination in the game, we take a look back at his stellar career and impressive contribution to the franchise 

Bob Love’s transition from football to basketball

Growing up in rural Louisiana, he had a love for both basketball and football. In fact, he got a scholarship for football, but his interest always inclined him to basketball, and he switched. Playing for Southern University, the Bulls legend averaged 12.8 points per game. Over time, there was only more improvement. He was also part of the Alpha Phi Omega. Michael Jordan was also reportedly part of it when he joined UNC. Love began to average 22.6 per game, and that only went higher to 25.6 and 30.6 in his junior and senior years.

Love was raised by his grandmother. He was only 8 when he ran away from his home and abusive stepfather and started living with his grandmother. Early on, he would practice his basketball skills with a sock filled with grass and a hoop made out of a coat hanger. This might have been his beginning, but he went on to do and create great things in the future.

Bob Love’s impressive run with the Bulls 

He led the Chicago Bulls in scoring for seven years, with a total of 12,623 points. He is the second-highest scorer after Michael Jordan in the franchise. Love’s career points stand at 13,895. His Airness had a career total of 32,292 points.

But before that, he had a series of challenges to overcome in order to reach there. Despite being drafted by the Cincinnati Royals, his luck didn’t favor him and he didn’t get in the team. After many trials and tribulations, he landed a spot in Cincinnati and played for two years, but his role was mostly as a reserve. He got a chance with the Bucks, but he requested to be traded to the Chicago Bulls.

It was during his time with the Bulls that he was named the All-NBA Second Team twice and also the All-Defensive Second Team three times. The 6x NBA champion made a .497 FG%, while Love wasn’t far behind with a .429 FG% in the regular season. While MJ made 13 NBA playoff appearances, Love made 6 playoff appearances. Showing the best performance, the 3x NBA All-Star averaged 21.3 points and 6.8 rebounds in 592 games, starting 444 of those during his time with the Bulls from 1968 to 1976. He was honored and inducted into the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame in 1983.

While he stuttered and preferred not to give interviews, it was his skills that made up for it. His ability to shoot with both left and right hands made him one of the most interesting players among elite stars such as Jerry West, Wilt Chamberlain, and more. His contribution to the Bulls franchise was recognized in the inaugural Ring of Honor. After Jerry Sloan’s No. 4 jersey, Love’s No. 10 jersey was retired by the franchise.

Out of his 11 seasons in the league, Love spent 9 years playing for the Bulls. But in 1976, the Bulls legend sustained a back injury and was traded to the Seattle Supersonics. This is where his second journey in life began. His first marriage to Betty Smith didn’t work out. He didn’t have any money left. He didn’t give up. That is when he started working as a dishwasher and busboy for a restaurant in Nordstrom’s department store in Seattle. 

He worked hard, however, he needed to improve his speech issues. He no longer had his former teammate Norm Van Lier to support him or speak for him. ”All my life I dreamed and prayed to be able to communicate normally with people. I would have given up everything else in my life to do it,” he said.

So, he began to work on his words and pronunciation with the help of speech therapist Susan Hamilton. His hard work for over a year helped him. Love took the first step by declaring his candidacy for alderman of the 15th Ward in Chicago, on the city’s southwest side. When Bulls owner Jerry Reinsdorf got word of his work, he knew he had to call him back. Love finally found his way back into sports and the Bulls. 

He served as the director of community affairs for the Bulls for 11 years. “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,” the team read.

During the last years of his life, he was married to Emily Collier whom he married in 2004. He had 10 children, seven from his previous marriage. Born to Lula Belle, Love had never seen his biological father, Benjamin Love. Love met him much later in his life. He had faced such tough battles but always had a warm smile and positivity to offer people. “I love the people of Chicago and I love Chicago and I love my beautiful wife, Emily,” Love said at the Bulls Ring of Honor ceremony. Throughout his life, he sought to share the same kindness with those around him, and that warmth will continue to be passed down through generations, preserved in the memories and history he left behind.