Loudon Love
![]() Love with Wright State in 2021 | |
No. 18 – Niagara River Lions | |
---|---|
Position | Center |
League | CEBL |
Personal information | |
Born | April 21, 1998 |
Nationality | American |
Listed height | 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) |
Listed weight | 260 lb (118 kg) |
Career information | |
High school | Geneva (Geneva, Illinois) |
College | Wright State (2017–2021) |
NBA draft | 2021: undrafted |
Playing career | 2021–present |
Career history | |
2021–2022 | Texas Legends |
2023–2024 | Memphis Hustle |
2024 | Carpegna Prosciutto Basket Pesaro |
2024–present | Niagara River Lions |
Career highlights and awards | |
| |
Loudon Love (born Loudon Love Vollbrecht on April 21, 1998) is an American professional basketball player for the Niagara River Lions of the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL). He played college basketball for the Wright State Raiders.
Early life and high school career
[edit]Love's parents got divorced when he was in middle school and he moved from Vermont to Illinois with his mother, Laura Love.[1] Love attended Geneva Community High School, where he competed in basketball and football. As a junior, he averaged 11 points and 6.8 rebounds per game for a 30-win team. Love played offensive tackle on the gridiron and received a scholarship offer from Illinois. In November 2015, Love was injured during the last play of Geneva's 41-22 Class 7A playoff loss to Bradley-Bourbonnais Community High School. An MRI revealed he tore his ACL, forcing him to miss his senior year in basketball.[2] After receiving basketball offers from Northern Illinois, Western Illinois, Northern Kentucky, UMBC, and UMass Lowell, he committed to play under coach Scott Nagy at South Dakota State, and followed him to Wright State when he received the coaching job there. He legally changed his last name from Vollbrecht to Love, his mother's last name, in honor of her sacrifices growing up.[3]
College career
[edit]Love was redshirted his first season at Wright State, spending the season trying to lose weight and get in shape by doing intensified workouts and going on a restricted diet. On January 7, 2018, Love scored 25 points and had 17 rebounds and five blocks in a win against Oakland, earning Horizon League freshman of the week honors.[4] As a freshman, he averaged 12.9 points and 9.8 rebounds per game on a team that finished 25-10 and reached the NCAA Tournament.[1] He was named Horizon League Freshman of the Year and Second Team All-Conference. As a sophomore, he averaged 15.1 points and 8.2 rebounds per game and had 12 double-doubles. Love was named to the First Team All-Horizon League and District 12 First Team by the National Association of Basketball Coaches.[5]
On November 9, 2019, Love had 26 points and 14 rebounds in an 85–62 win over Miami (OH). He fractured his elbow during a game against La Salle on November 26 and missed several weeks.[6] Love earned Horizon League player of the week honors on December 31 after a 22-point, 16-rebound performance against Green Bay.[7] Love had 21 points and nine rebounds during a win against Youngstown State on January 18, 2020, though coach Scott Nagy was upset with his performance.[8] He was named Horizon League player of the week on February 17, after contributing 24 points and nine rebounds in a win over UIC.[9] Love was named Horizon League player of the year at the conclusion of the regular season.[10] Love averaged 15.9 points and 9.7 rebounds per game.[11]
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/96/Loudon_Love.jpg/220px-Loudon_Love.jpg)
On January 9, 2021, Love collected his 1,000th career rebound in a win over Youngstown State.[12] He scored a career-high 34 points and had 11 rebounds on January 30, in a 86-56 victory over Robert Morris Colonials.[13] As a senior, he averaged 16.6 points, 10.1 rebounds, and 1.9 assists per game, shooting 56.5 percent. Love garnered Horizon League player of the year honors for the second consecutive season.[14]
Professional career
[edit]On July 16, 2021, Love signed his first professional contract with Stade Rochelais of the Nationale Masculine 1 in France, but did not play for the team.[15] He was selected 10th overall in the 2021 NBA G League draft by the Texas Legends.[16] On January 31, 2022, Love was waived after suffering a season-ending knee injury.[17][18]
On October 30, 2023, Love joined the Memphis Hustle.[19]
On April 4, 2024, Love signed with Carpegna Prosciutto Basket Pesaro of the Lega Basket Serie A.[20]
On May 13, 2024, Love signed with the Niagara River Lions of the Canadian Elite Basketball League.[21]
References
[edit]- ^ a b Ryan, Shannon (March 14, 2018). "Wright State's Loudon Love brings his football background at Geneva to the basketball court". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved February 19, 2020.
- ^ Armstrong, Rick (November 11, 2015). "Geneva's Loudon Love-Vollbrecht suffers torn ACL". Aurora Beacon-News. Retrieved February 19, 2020.
- ^ Archdeacon, Tom (November 9, 2016). "WSU's Love is death to backboards". Dayton Daily News. Retrieved February 19, 2020.
- ^ Archdeacon, Tom (January 10, 2020). "By any name, Wright State has a force in Love". Dayton Daily News. Retrieved February 19, 2020.
- ^ "Love Honored by NABC". Wright State Raiders. March 20, 2019. Retrieved February 19, 2020.
- ^ Archdeacon, Tom (December 14, 2019). "Raiders' Love hopes to return from fractured elbow this month". Dayton Daily News. Retrieved February 19, 2020.
- ^ Hoeferlin, Mackenzie (January 13, 2020). "Raider Basketball: Loudon Love returns to success on the court". Wright State Guardian. Retrieved February 19, 2020.
- ^ Harris, Doug (January 22, 2020). "Wright State basketball: Nagy looking for more from Love". Dayton Daily News. Retrieved February 19, 2020.
- ^ "Loudon Love named Horizon League Player of the Week". Wright State Raiders. February 17, 2020. Retrieved February 19, 2020.
- ^ Boyle, John (March 2, 2020). "Wright State's Love named Horizon League Player of the Year". Dayton Daily News. Retrieved March 3, 2020.
- ^ Tyson, Zo (March 8, 2020). "#HLMBB SEMIFINAL PREVIEW". Horizon League. Retrieved March 19, 2020.
- ^ Johnson Jr., Andre (January 9, 2021). "Loudon Love hits 1,000 rebound mark, Raiders win big". dayton247now.com. Retrieved January 10, 2021.
- ^ "Love scores 34 to lift Wright St. over Robert Morris 86-56". ESPN. Associated Press. January 30, 2021. Retrieved June 18, 2021.
- ^ Harris, Doug (May 9, 2021). "Nagy: Love looking at pros, but hasn't made final decision". Dayton Daily News. Retrieved June 18, 2021.
- ^ Jablonski, David (July 16, 2021). "Wright State's Love to start pro career in Europe". Dayton Daily News. Retrieved July 29, 2021.
- ^ "Loudon Love Selected 11th Overall in 2021 NBA G League Draft". Wright State Raiders. October 23, 2021. Retrieved October 23, 2021.
- ^ Sweet, Brian (February 7, 2022). "Texas Legends skid as they host West Coast teams". The Smoking Cuban. FanSided. Retrieved February 13, 2022.
- ^ "2021-2022 Texas Legends Transactions History". RealGM.com. Retrieved March 29, 2022.
- ^ "Memphis Hustle announce 2023-24 training camp roster". NBA.com. October 30, 2023. Retrieved November 7, 2023.
- ^ "LA CARPEGNA PROSCIUTTO BASKET PESARO SI ACCORDA CON LOUDON LOVE". VictoriaLibertas.it (in Italian). April 4, 2024. Retrieved April 4, 2024.
- ^ "River Lions Announce Signing of American Forward, Loudon Love". CEBL.ca. May 13, 2024. Retrieved May 14, 2024.
External links
[edit]![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/30px-Commons-logo.svg.png)
- 1998 births
- Living people
- American expatriate basketball people in Canada
- American expatriate basketball people in Italy
- American men's basketball players
- Basketball players from Illinois
- Centers (basketball)
- Memphis Hustle players
- Niagara River Lions players
- People from Geneva, Illinois
- Sportspeople from Kane County, Illinois
- Texas Legends players
- Victoria Libertas Pallacanestro players
- Wright State Raiders men's basketball players