Utah Jazz forward Kevin Love (42) on the court during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Houston Rockets, Monday, Feb. 23, 2026, in Houston. (AP Photo/Karen Warren)
Karen Warren / AP
As former Portland Trail Blazer Chris Dudley ramps up his Republican gubernatorial campaign, he’s getting an assist from five-time NBA All-Star Kevin Love.
Love, who grew up in Lake Oswego and now plays for the Utah Jazz, donated $25,000 to Dudley’s bid to be the state’s next governor, according to the Oregon Secretary of State. Dudley mentored Love when he attended Lake Oswego High School.
“I taught him how to rebound,” Dudley said in a 2020 interview with Hoops HD, “and he still does not give me enough credit!”
In the past, Love, who won an NBA championship with the Cleveland Cavaliers, has been outspoken on issues like mental health and racial justice. He described the January 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol as an “absolute disgrace.”
Love and Dudley did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Dudley announced in January that he would enter the crowded GOP primary. In 2010, he came within two percentage points of becoming the first Republican to win an Oregon governor’s race since 1982. He has so far reported receiving nearly $449,000 in campaign contributions, according to the secretary of state.
He will face off against several other candidates, including Republican Sen. Christine Drazan, who lost the 2022 race to Gov. Tina Kotek. Drazan, who announced her candidacy in October, has reported more than $583,000 in campaign contributions, the most of the packed field.
Another candidate, state Rep. Ed Diehl, R-Scio, has reported nearly $136,000 in contributions, testing a state rule around accepting donations during the ongoing legislative session. Marion County Commissioner Danielle Bethell, who announced her run last year, has about $15,000.
