He poured in 24.6 points one night, then vanished from headlines for decades—until his son hoisted a title in his name. When Stan Love passed away on April 28, 2025, at 76, few remembered the Oregon scorer who shattered program marks and held off college greats—until those records flashed back onto SportsCenter.
What made this slender forward so unstoppable in Eugene, and why have his feats faded from memory? Let’s dive into the life and career of a man who left an indelible mark on the game.
What Were Stan Love’s College Stats at the University of Oregon?
Way before he ever stepped onto an NBA floor, Stan Love was a legend at the University of Oregon. From 1968 to 1971, he rewrote the record books, exploding for 21.1 points per game—still a program peak in Oregon history (pre–3–point era). In Pac-8 action during the 1969–70 season, Love exploded for 27.3 points per game, a single-season conference record that went unbroken for two decades. He led the league in scoring in both 1970 and 1971, earning First-Team All-Pac-8 honors in back-to-back years.
By the end of his junior season, Love ranked eighth on Oregon’s all-time scoring list with 1,644 career points and stood sixth in career rebounds with 818 boards—a testament to his two-way dominance in McArthur Court. His 20.8 points and 10.7 rebounds per game as a junior made him one of the most dominant big men in the nation. Until the three-point era changed the game, Stan’s records stood unbeatable. Who knows, if that shot had existed in his day? His numbers may have been untouchable.
His legacy earned him a spot in the University of Oregon Athletics Hall of Fame in 1994, where he’s celebrated not just for gaudy numbers but for reviving Duck basketball during a golden era.
How Did Stan Love’s Pro Career Unfold?
Drafted 9th overall by the Baltimore Bullets in 1971, Love entered the league with high expectations. Though injuries and a deep NBA talent pool limited his minutes, he carved out a respectable four-year career. Playing for the Bullets (1971-73) and Lakers (1973-75), he appeared in 226 games, averaging 6.8 points and 4.0 rebounds in just 15.4 minutes per game. In 1972–73, Baltimore’s bench spark, Love, averaged a career-high 8.5 PPG in just 19.4 minutes.
Love also had a brief stint in the ABA with the San Antonio Spurs (1975), playing 12 games before retiring. Though his pro career didn’t reach the heights of his college days, his toughness and work ethic earned him respect. He squared off against Hall of Famers Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Wes Unseld, and Elvin Hayes.
Stan’s Life After Basketball…
After hanging up his sneakers, Love settled into business ventures while staying connected to basketball through his son, Kevin Love, a five-time NBA All-Star and 2016 champion. He was famously known to have trained Kevin in tough drills. Kevin even paid tribute to his father, wearing Stan’s 1968-69 Oregon varsity jacket during emotional return to Portland.
Outside of basketball, in the early ’90s, he became part of the legal team overseeing care for his famous cousin, the Beach Boys legend Brian Wilson. During one of the musician’s most challenging chapters. This unexpected role showed Stan’s loyalty ran deeper than basketball, proving he was just as fierce about protecting family as he was about grabbing rebounds.
Stan’s later years were marked by health struggles, but his impact never faded. He passed away on April 27, 2025, leaving behind a legacy of perseverance, family pride, and an unforgettable mark on Oregon basketball. His story wasn’t just about stats, it was about resilience and the love for the game. Stan Love may not have been a household NBA name, but in Oregon and to those who knew him, he was a scoring machine, a relentless rebounder, and a father who inspired greatness. The record books won’t forget him, and neither will basketball history.
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