Kevin Love mourns death of his ex-NBA player father Stan Love in heartfelt post

Former NBA player Stan Love, father of Miami Heat star Kevin Love, has died.

Stan Love died after a lengthy battle with an undisclosed illness. The four-year NBA veteran was 76.

Kevin Love announced the tragic news on Sunday in a heartfelt post on Instagram. In his post, Kevin provided a glimpse into his relationship with the man he called his “protector” and “first hero” (profanity edited by LBS).

“Dad, you fought for a long time,” Kevin Love wrote. “The hardest stretch being these past 6 months. The most painful to witness being these last few weeks. And even at the end as you continued to deteriorate – I still saw you as a Giant. My Protector. My first Hero.

“… As the memories stream down my face I feel as if I can see it all so clearly now. It’s a f—ed up fact of life that towards the end, your own life or someone else’s, things that once seemed so complicated and confusing now seem transparent.

“Like all of us, my Dad was imperfect. But despite his flaws, and my own, we are a successful story of father and son. A never ending bond, rooted in love, that will forever remain eternal.”