Leon Bennett/Getty Images for The Players' TribuneLove and basketball!
NBA Star Kevin Love and Sports Illustrated Swimsuit model Kate Bock are engaged, the couple announced on Jan. 31. The Cleveland Cavaliers basketball player proposed to his longtime girlfriend over the weekend amid her birthday celebrations. "Well, this was the best birthday surprise I could have ever imagined," Bock wrote on Instagram alongside photos with Love, offering a close-up look at her gorgeous engagement ring. "I couldn't be happier to have been asked to be a Love by my love. Heart bursting all day & night."
In the comments of her announcement post, Bock—who recently scored the cover of 2020's Sports Illustrated Issue—received a flood of well wishes. Fellow SI cover star Olivia Culpo wrote, "Omg congrats beautiful!!!" While Bock's BFF and fellow model Emily DiDonato commented, "Congrats!!! So happy for you both!!!"
Love also shared the news with his 3.1 million Instagram followers over the weekend. Alongside a quote by N. R. Hart, the 32-year-old athlete wrote, "My Fiancé. The Joy of My Life."
Tristan Thompson, Love's former Cavs teammate, commented, "Congrats brother." While Patrick Schwarzenegger wrote, "LOVE YOU BOTH!!! Congrats!!"
A day before announcing their engagement, Love took to Instagram to celebrate Bock's birthday. "Like fine wine. Happiest birthday Katie," he wrote alongside a photo of Bock. "Sending so much love your way."
Fans of the couple may recall how Love played a role in announcing Bock's cover of SI Swimsuit, an honor she shares with Culpo and Jasmine Sanders. Bock originally thought she was sitting down with Love to film a segment on couples in quarantine. However, during their chat, Love brought up SI and went on to reveal her cover shot.
Over the summer, Bock and Love celebrated their fifth anniversary together. On July 31, Bock took to Instagram to share a photo with Love writing, "Calendar notification • Met Kevin July 31, 2015."