This topic contains 20 replies, has 15 voices, and was last updated by 
Dale Worthington 14 years, 2 months ago.
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- Posted on: Sat, 04/21/2012 - 1:59pm #38526
surveParticipantThis is a memorandum to those NBA players who passed away during, just before, or just after their careers.
Where were you when got the news of their passing?
For me, I remember vividly, my cousin Freddy (R.I.P.) rode by on his bike and told me about Len Bias, and I dismissed it as a "rumor"….saying I know thats not true. Then I turned on the TV and saw it all over the news.
Who’s death shocked you the most or hit you hardest?
Most of the people on this list shocked me and I felt deep sympathy for, particularly Drazen because at the time he was just rounding out to be a great NBA player, the best was yet to come for him. Lewis and Bias shocking for sure as I was big fans of both since college and watched most of Bias’ games at Maryland. Ricky Berry was tragic, especially in light of the circumstances….but for me, the one that got me the most was Sealy. Met him personally and he went to school with my cousins and they knew him and everyone said he was just such a good guy. To hear he was killed in a collision with a drunk driver was sad. I hope it raised some awareness as to driving drunk.
R.I.P.
Reggie Lewis
Len Bias
Bobby Phills
Drazen Petrovic
Lorenzen Wright
Robert Traylor
Malik Sealy
Bison Dele
Jason Collier
Ricky Berry
feel free to add any I may have forgotten.
0 - Posted on: Sat, 04/21/2012 - 2:02pm #662356
esperanzafleet69Participantnot that it was much of a shocker, well maybe because its still not solved.. but i always liked lorenzen wright back when he was on the grizzlies… he was always a great rotation player..
0 - Posted on: Sat, 04/21/2012 - 2:24pm #662361
NotHamedHaddadiParticipantI think Eddie Griffins death shocked me the most because of the way it happened. He got into a car accident because he was masturbating to a porn video while driving. Wow dude had problems but RIP
0 - Posted on: Sat, 04/21/2012 - 2:41pm #662365
iminipandaParticipantNot from the NBA but Steve Mcnair’s death had to be the biggest shock to me recently. He was such a star on those Titans teams. RIP Air Mcnair.
0 - Posted on: Sat, 04/21/2012 - 3:26pm #662371
UNCbasketballbumParticipantloved Mcnair, played for my Ravens. It was really sad since his ex-wife killed him I think. "Air Mcnair" from Alcorn State was a good guy. Also in football, Chris Henry, dude was turning his life around until his death at the end of 2009 from head injuries.
0 - Posted on: Sat, 04/21/2012 - 4:03pm #662374
TheArtistPaysthePriceParticipantWas a sad story, he died in a car crash racing teammate David Wesley. Wesley was never the same.
0 - Posted on: Sat, 04/21/2012 - 4:04pm #662375
TheArtistPaysthePriceParticipantHank Geathers was a touching story, I cried seeing that movie as a kid.
0 - Posted on: Sat, 04/21/2012 - 4:08pm #662376
TheArtistPaysthePriceParticipantManute Bol he wasn’t 50 yet. Niether was Armen Gilliam.
0 - Posted on: Sat, 04/21/2012 - 4:10pm #662379
DurantsWingspanI’m a way bigger basketball fan, but I’ll never forget when Sean Taylor got murdered. I remember at the time he was right up their with Ed Reed for best safeties in the game and he was young. Could have been the best safety ever.
0 - Posted on: Sat, 04/21/2012 - 4:56pm #662385
thatshitkrayParticipantProb most tragic for KG since they were teammates and best friends. Not to mention he got in the car accident on the way home from his party..
0 - Posted on: Sat, 04/21/2012 - 5:39pm #662395
phila9012ParticipantHe collapsed on the court and later died in the hospital, to die playing a game is terrible. He had a bright future ahead too. The bo kimble making all three of his first free throws in the tournament left handedwas special. you have to watch the 30 for 30 documentary on Loyola Marymount.
0 - Posted on: Sat, 04/21/2012 - 6:00pm #662402
Memphis MadnessParticipantI remember watching the game when Reggie Lewis collapsed on the court against the Hornets.
Then he died a few months later. That was really, really sad. Then Drazen died that same offseason.The Lorenzen Wright death was very sad. He is a Memphis legend. I went to a couple of his games as a Tiger and he was the best center we have had (I am too young to remember Keith Lee and William Bedford). He was a great Grizzly too. I met him a year or so before he died. Real nice guy. Signed a basketball. He said that Hubie Brown really taught him the game.
Lo Wright, Reggie Lewis, and Drazen’s deaths were really sad. I really miss Manute Bol too. I remember watchign a game of his and he threw down an alley oop dunk without jumping. He was one of a kind.
Schintzuis died young and he got me thinking that he played with Armon Gilliam and I think Drazen too on that Nets team. Then Yinka Dare was on the Nets a bit later. Sad.
A little while ago someone pointed out that about 15 or so years ago the Clippers had Lorenzen Wright, Malik Sealy,
Kevin Duckworth, and Brian Williams (Bison Dele) which is pretty shocking. That’s not that long ago and those guys weren’t old at all.A bunch of deaths in the past 20 years or so. It’s like hearing about pro wrestlers who died that you grew up watching.
0 - Posted on: Sun, 04/22/2012 - 2:54am #662456
surveParticipantI didnt know Yinka Dare passed. This mustve been a period where I wasnt keeping up with basketball. Wow. R.I.P. Yinka.
Since you guys are calling out football players, I cant let this thread continue without mentioning Jerome Brown and Reggie White. The Eagles had one of the most fearsome defenses of all time with those guys under Buddy Ryan.
R.I.P. Jerome and Reggie
0 - Posted on: Sun, 04/22/2012 - 5:48am #662492
apb540ParticipantCory Lidle aka the guy who made us all think New York got hit by a terrorist again for about 20 minutes. The dude dies and become the butt of jokes so RIP to him.
0 - Posted on: Sun, 04/22/2012 - 8:39am #662564
kaceyParticipantWayman Tisdale
Derek Smith
Wilt Chamberlain
0 - Posted on: Sun, 04/22/2012 - 8:47am #662568
The Scare Crow RisesParticipantR.I.P Eddie Guerrero, Chris Beniot and Macho
0 - Posted on: Sun, 04/22/2012 - 8:56am #662571
JunkYardDogParticipantTractor traylor, jason collier….you forgot.
0 - Posted on: Mon, 04/23/2012 - 12:30pm #663077
surveParticipantno, I definitely didnt forget those two, read again.
0 - Posted on: Mon, 04/23/2012 - 12:32pm #663082
JunkYardDogParticipantyeah I don’t know why I didn’t see them
the most striking for me was bobby phills… the celebration with the chair in the middle of the court.
0 - Posted on: Mon, 04/23/2012 - 1:09pm #663095
HitsterParticipantWhen you think that the Celtics lost both Bias and Lewis within 7 years, it makes you wonder how long their Bird dynasty could have continued onwards with those two.
0 - Posted on: Mon, 04/23/2012 - 1:11pm #663097
Dale WorthingtonParticipantAir McNair, Chris Henry, and Sean Taylor all shocked me.
Ken Caminiti (former Padres 3B) kinda surprised me but then again he had really bad side effects from steroids.
Nick Adenhart was also a tragic death in the baseball world. He was killed by a drunk driver. I think the young man was only 22. Really sad because I believe he pitched that day for the Angels and did really well.
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