Former NBA player Stan Love, father of Miami Heat forward Kevin Love, has died at the age of 76, his son shared on Instagram on Sunday evening.
Love penned a long, heartfelt tribute to his father, also the brother of Beach Boys member Mike Love, in the caption of his social media post.
"Dad, you fought for a long time," 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."
"I’m so proud to be your son," he continued. "My only hope is that you’re proud of me. It was all I ever wanted. Thank you for everything."
Per The Associated Press, Kevin Love has been away from the Heat for personal reasons and will not appear in Game 4 of the team's first-round playoff series vs. the Cleveland Cavaliers on Monday night. The Cavs currently lead the series 3-0.
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