Today is Valentine's Day. And in that mold, the Zone has decided to spread a little love in the air. Actually, it's a profile of one of the great players from the early history of the Chicago Bulls. He is Bob Love!

Bob Love was born December 8, 1942 in Bastrop, Louisiana. He starred at Morehouse High School in Bastrop, Love attended Southern University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. There, he became a two-time All-American (1963 and 1965). He was selected in the fourth round (29th player selected overall) in the 1965 NBA Draft by the Cincinnati Royals, but didn't make the team. He spent the 1965-66 season with the Eastern Basketball League, where he won their Rookie of the Year with a 25 PPG average.

One year later, Love tried out again with the Royals, and this time, he stuck. His two years in Cincinnati (as a reserve) produced only modest statistics; he averaged 6.5 PPG and 3.5 RPG during his tenure. After the 1967-68 season, Love was exposed and selected in the Expansion Draft by the Milwaukee Bucks. Later that season, the Buck traded him to the Chicago Bulls, where he would begin to build a legacy as a high scorer as the Bulls began to become a contender in the Western Conference.

Love's first full season in Chicago (1969-70) saw him average over 20 PPG for the first of six straight seasons (career best of 25.8 PPG in 1971-72). He made the first of three All-Star teams in 1971 (he also made it in 1972 and 1973), and also averaged at least 6 RPG each year in Chicago. Love also was a solid defender, making the All-Defensive 2nd Team in 1974 and 1975. Love led the Bulls to the Western Conference Finals in 1975, the last time the team made the conference finals until 1989.

Love spent his final season on three teams, as the Bulls traded him to the New York Nets, who then sent him to the Seattle Supersonics, where he finished the 1976-77 season before retiring. For his career, he scored 13,895 points (17.6 PPG career) and grabbed 4,653 rebounds (5.9 RPG), and his number 10 was retired by the Bulls (the second one retired by the franchise).

Season-by-Season Statistical Review:
1966-67: 66 GP, 6.7 PPG, 3.9 RPG, 0.7 APG, 42.9 FG%, 63.3 FT%
1967-68: 72 GP, 6.4 PPG, 2.9 RPG, 0.8 APG, 42.4 FG%, 68.4 FT%
1968-69: 49 GP, 5.9 PPG, 3.1 RPG, 0.3 APG, 39.7 FG%, 74.0 FT%
1969-70: 82 GP, 21.0 PPG, 8.7 RPG, 1.8 APG, 46.6 FG%, 84.2 FT%
1970-71: 81 GP, 25.2 PPG, 8.5 RPG, 2.3 APG, 44.7 FG%, 82.9 FT%
1971-72: 79 GP, 25.8 PPG, 6.6 RPG, 1.6 APG, 44.2 FG%, 78.4 FT%
1972-73: 82 GP, 23.1 PPG, 6.5 RPG, 1.5 APG, 43.1 FG%, 82.4 FT%
1973-74: 82 GP, 21.8 PPG, 6.0 RPG, 1.6 APG, 41.7 FG%, 81.8 FT%
1974-75: 61 GP, 22.0 PPG, 6.3 RPG, 1.7 APG, 42.9 FG%, 83.0 FT%
1975-76: 76 GP, 19.1 PPG, 6.7 RPG, 1.9 APG, 39.0 FG%, 80.1 FT%
1976-77: 59 GP, 7.3 PPG, 3.4 RPG, 0.8 APG, 37.9 FG%, 82.6 FT%