It was not exactly a lovefest when Bob Love arrived in Chicago on Nov. 23, 1968. The Milwaukee Bucks dealt Love and Bob Weiss to the Bulls before a game against the Atlanta Hawks at Chicago Stadium, and both he and Weiss were relegated to the bench that night.

Former Chicago Bulls forward Bob Love, a three-time All-Star who spent 11 years in the NBA, died Monday. He was 81. The Bulls said Love died after a long battle with cancer. Love averaged 21.3 points and 6.

Love was a cornerstone of the franchise’s success in the early 1970s. He struggled with a stutter that he overcame only after his playing days were over.