Wright State’s Love to start pro career in Europe

“I am very excited to take a new step in my basketball career and turn professional,” said Love in a press release on the team’s website. “I am very happy to take this new step with my new teammates from Stade Rochelais!”

Love withdrew his name from the NBA Draft earlier this month. That allowed him to keep his college eligibility. He had the option of returning to Wright State for a fifth season because the NCAA did not count last season against anyone’s eligibility.

In May, Wright State coach Scott Nagy said Love was undecided about his future. Love participated in the Tampa Bay Pro Combine in June as he explored his options.

“For me, the way I work, I just think he’s going to go,” Nagy said then. “That’s how I operate, so, if he comes back, it’s a good thing. If he doesn’t, we’re prepared for it.”

A 6-foot-8 center from Geneva, Ill, Love averaged a team-high 16.6 points and 10.1 rebounds last season and was named the Horizon League Player of the Year for the second straight season. He will play for a team located in La Rochelle, France. That’s on the Atlantic coast, about 293 miles southwest of Paris.

“Lou is a dominant player at the low position — powerful and technical,” Stade Rochelais Rupella coach François Sence said in a statement. “He has the ability to score near the circle or find players released by two-man grabs. Defensively, he is active, hard on the ground while having the mobility necessary to cover the pick and rolls. He is an excellent rebounder, especially offensive. We are convinced that the current team made up of experienced players who complement their game, as well as the structure of the club can allow Loudon to perform for his first season in Europe and therefore help us achieve our goals.”