Kevin Love has been away from the Miami Heat for the entire postseason due to personal reasons. The unfortunate news that his father, Walt Love, passed away became public knowledge when the Heat forward posted a heartfelt message on Instagram. He was 76 years old.
"Dad, you fought for a long time.The hardest stretch being these past 6 months," Love posted. "And even at the end as you continued to deteriorate - I still saw you as a Giant. My Protector. My first Hero."
You can see Love's IG post here.
Love hasn't played since March 21 and has played in just seven games in 2025.
He's been a team leader for years even as his playing time diminished, but Miami Heat members knew he had to handle personal business and have publicly supported him over the past few months.
"Considering K-Love's been a person that's come back from 3-1, we could use his voice," Heat captain Bam Adebayo said Saturday. "But K-love is going through a lot right now..."
Love's father, Stan, is a former pro basketball player, playing collegiately at Oregon before being selected ninth overall by the Baltimore Bullets in the 1971 NBA Draft. He played 239 games from 1971-75 with the Bullets, Los Angeles Lakers and San Antonio Spurs, then of the ABA.
Stan Love was inducted into the University of Oregon Athletics Hall of Fame in 1994. His older brother Mike Love, was a founding member of the Beach Boys. Condolences go out to the Love family.
