 | This articleneeds additional citations forverification. Please helpimprove this article byadding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Find sources: "Justin Love" – news ·newspapers ·books ·scholar ·JSTOR(July 2020) (Learn how and when to remove this message) |
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | (1978-11-06)November 6, 1978 |
| Died | June 23, 2020(2020-06-23) (aged 41) |
| Listed height | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) |
| Listed weight | 210 lb (95 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school |
|
| College |
|
| NBA draft | 2000:undrafted |
| Playing career | 2000–2015 |
| Position | Guard |
| Career history | |
| 2000–2001 | Kansas City Knights |
| 2001 | Gravelines |
| 2002 | St. Louis SkyHawks |
| 2002–2004 | Beijing Olympians |
| 2004 | St. Louis SkyHawks |
| 2004–2005 | BK Ventspils |
| 2005–2006 | Ludwigsburg |
| 2006–2008 | BK Ventspils |
| 2008–2009 | BC Odesa |
| 2009–2011 | MBC Mykolaiv |
| 2011–2015 | BC Odesa |
| Career highlights | |
| |
Justin Love (November 6, 1978 – June 23, 2020) was an American professionalbasketball player and coach.
Love was born inSan Francisco and attendedWashington High School and thenSacred Heart Cathedral High School, where he was MVP when the school won theWest Catholic Athletic League Championship in 1995.[1] He played collegiately atCañada College, where he was a National Junior College All-American in 1998,[1] andSaint Louis University, where he led the team to anNCAA Division I appearance and received a Conference USA First Team selection and Tournament MVP award in 2000. Love earned a bachelor's degree in Communication Disorders and a master's degree in Education at Saint Louis,[2] and was inducted into the university's hall of fame in 2009.[3] He was also inducted into the hall of fame at Sacred Heart Cathedral[1] and in 2016 at Cañada College.[4]
After graduation, Love went undrafted in the2000 NBA draft, making him an unrestricted free agent. After participating in thePhoenix Suns' training camp, he signed a multi-year agreement with the team on August 1, 2000. On October 25, the Suns decided to waive him.[5] Love went on to play for theKansas City Knights, a newly-founded team that competed in theAmerican Basketball Association's inaugural season.[6]
In February 2001, he acceptedBCM Gravelines-Dunkerque's offer to play in theLNB Pro A league, but was released a month later due to difficulties adapting to European basketball.[citation needed] He returned to St. Louis, briefly starring in the local St. Louis SkyHawks of theUSBL before moving to China.
In 2002, Love signed withBeijing Olympians and played two seasons in theChinese Basketball Association (CBA), locking in an Asia-Basket All-CBA Imports 2nd Team selection in 2004.[citation needed] After briefly returning to the St. Louis SkyHawks, he moved to Latvia, signing withBK Ventspils. Over the next four seasons, he carved out a solid leadership role within his teams, consistently posting double digit scoring averages and maintaining a high three-point shooting percentage (40%). Despite his 1.88m (6ft 2in) stature, his remarkable rebounding skills yielded nearly a rebound every seven minutes of playing time in theULEB Cup. He was Latvian League Player of the Year in the 2004–05 season.[1]
He spent the last six years of his professional career in Ukraine, signing withMBC Mykolaiv for two seasons in 2009 and then withBC Odesa for another four seasons. He continued to show impressive consistency, even with age, averaging double figures in scoring, solid outside shooting percentages and rebounding averages until his last season (2014-15). He was all-time leading scorer in theUkrainian Superleague [uk].[1]
After retiring as a player, Love became an assistant coach atBelleville High School-West in Illinois, and in 2017 boys' basketball head coach atMascoutah High School. In his three years with the Indians, he coached the team to a 55-42 record, winning the IHSA Class 3A regional championship in 2019, and was subsequently named the Illinois Basketball Association's boys Coach of the Year.[2]
Love married Katy Walter in 2006; they had three children.[1][7]
On June 23, 2020, Love was found unresponsive on the grounds of Mascoutah High School. He was pronounced dead at a local hospital.[1][2][3]