Property of Cavs Star Kevin Love Reacts to the Death of His Godfather Wes Unseld

Growing up, Love worked hard and honed his game, with the help of his supportive parents and relatives.Love’s father introduced Kevin to basketball at a very young age, priming him for a successful career with the NBA, and for that Love is grateful.“It’s pretty special to be trying to follow in his footsteps and kind of do what my dad did,” Love told ESPN.Stan Love was a basketball star decades before his son Kevin Love followed in his footsteps.Kevin’s father, a former professional basketball player as well, played for the Lakers, Bullets and Spurs throughout his NBA career.Stan Love was known as somewhat “flaky” during his time with the NBA. His all-around analysis and heart for the game has made him a premier NBA writer and proud staff writer for Cavaliers Nation.The Cleveland Cavaliers have been going through a heavy rebuild over the last two seasons.

In March 2018, Kevin Love offered a deeply personal account of his struggle regarding some mental health issues that he'd been dealing with, including panic attacks. The NBA world lost former Washington Bulls player and coach Wes Unseld on Tuesday.Unseld, who was 74, played in the NBA for 13 seasons.The center won the MVP award in 1969 and was a five-time All-Star. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)“What people don’t know is that my aunt on my mother’s side, Kathleen Hearst, had won the Ironman World Championship in 1982 in Kona.
“It’s pretty special to be trying to follow in his footsteps and kind of do what my dad did, but also a little bit of what [Unseld] did as well.”According to Kevin, he had a “sane mom and an insane dad.”“That balanced things out. In the mid-1970s and 1980s, Love was employed as a full-time bodyguard, trainer and assistant to Brian Wilson, working to re-acclimate the troubled musician's daily life and keep him drug-free. In addition to legend Wilt Chamberlain, he was the only player in NBA history to win Rookie of the Year and the MVP award in the same season.Over the course of his career, Unseld averaged 10.8 points, 14.0 rebounds and 3.9 assists per game.Love, whose middle name is Wesley, was named after Unseld because of his father. My parents grew up with that.” Love said.“I’d see him a few times throughout the year. But all that is base and everything in my skill set comes from him.”Kevin Love describes his dad as an “athletic springboard” and a hard-nosed type of player. While the younger Love may not have the same individual accolades as Unseld, he won a meaningful championship with the Cavs in 2016.The 2019-20 season is currently suspended due to the novel coronavirus.Justin's enormous respect for LeBron James has ignited him to write for the King and the Cavs. We’d go see his concerts, I understood that. My dad is the best dad in the world. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)Oregon, Stan Love’s alma mater, was apparently the cause for some controversy after his Kevin chose to go to UCLA over Oregon.Stan Love once said he’d “never go back there” after the Love family received threats and vulgar treatment from Ducks fans upon attending a UCLA-Oregon game on the Ducks campus while Kevin was playing college ball.In the mid-1970s and 1980s, Stan Love was employed as a full-time bodyguard, trainer and assistant to Brian Wilson, working to keep the musician’s daily life drug-free. His father, Stan Love, was also a professional basketball player, and his uncle Mike Love was a founding member of the Beach Boys. My Beautiful mother Karen and me sharing a moment after my committing to UCLA. And there was never any jealousy for us kids.”However, she and her husband tried hard to not put any of their children on a pedestal. They made sure not to push them too hard and let their children find their own passions and interests.Happy Mothers Day!! PHOENIX, AZ – MARCH 18: Singer Mike Love of the Beach Boys performs onstage during Muhammad Ali’s Celebrity Fight Night XXIII at the JW Marriott Desert Ridge Resort & Spa on March 18, 2017 in Phoenix, Arizona. In 1982, Love was fined $750 and placed on six months' probation for … The elder Love even named Kevin after Wes Unseld, former basketball player for the Baltimore/Capital/Washington Bullets.“My dad has dropped a lot of knowledge on me throughout the years. In 1982, BOSTON, MA – MAY 13: Kevin Love #0 of the Cleveland Cavaliers reacts from the bench late in the fourth quarter in his teams loss to the Boston Celtics in Game One of the Eastern Conference Finals of the 2018 NBA Playoffs at TD Garden on May 13, 2018 in Boston, Massachusetts. No. He placed a ball in my hands from an early age, so basketball has always been in my blood,” Kevin told ESPN. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Love, whose middle name is Wesley, was named after Unseld because of his father. Powered by Kevin Love followed in his father Stan Love's footsteps to become a professional basketball player.
My dad and I always laugh when we’re asked about who’s the best athlete in the family. His parents are some of Kevin's biggest supporters. Kevin Love comes from a family of athletes and musicians. The elder Love played in the NBA back in the ‘70s, and saw action with three different teams. The Boston Celtics defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers 108-83. “He definitely is a character — eccentric, a little different — but he’s the reason why and how I play today. Kevin Love Parents: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know But you know, my mom is always there to smooth things out. On the current season, the younger Love is putting up 17.6 points, 9.8 boards and and 3.2 assists per game. Love’s dad, Stan, played with the prolific rebounder on the Bullets. Obviously I’ve tweaked a few things, I’ve had proper coaching and proper skill work. As a result, veteran...Copyright © 2014 Cavaliers Nation, All Rights Reserved.