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20 NBA Players Who Died During Their Basketball Careers

Throughout its history, the NBA has witnessed its share of sorrowful events, with several players meeting their untimely ends while actively engaged in the sport. These athletes were not merely skilled competitors; they were budding legends, leaving an indelible mark on the rich tapestry of basketball lore.

Ranging from explosive shooting guards to towering centres, each player brought a distinct set of abilities and an unwavering determination to the court.

Their impact transcended mere numerical data; they were the masterminds behind moments etched in the hearts of fans, moments that still resonate today. Their journeys were defined by tenacity, fervour, and an unrelenting devotion to their craft.

However, destiny wove a different narrative, truncating stories that were still in the process of unfolding. The reverberations of their loss echoed through the basketball community, creating an irreplaceable void.

This article delves into the lives of some of these NBA players who departed prematurely. Though their time in the spotlight was tragically abbreviated, their legacies persist, standing as a testament to the enduring essence of the game and the athletes who poured their all into it.

1. Bobby Phills

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Bobby Ray Phills Jr. was an American professional basketball player who competed as a shooting guard and small forward in the National Basketball Association (NBA) for the Cleveland Cavaliers and Charlotte Hornets.

He was picked by the Milwaukee Bucks in the 1991 NBA draft, 45th overall. Tragically, on January 12, 2000, while playing for the Charlotte Hornets, Phills lost his life in a car accident in Charlotte, North Carolina.

He was following teammate David Wesley at a speed exceeding 100 mph (160 km/h) when his Porsche spun out of control, veering into oncoming traffic. It collided with another car, subsequently being rear-ended by a minivan.

The drivers of the other two vehicles survived, but Phills was declared deceased at the scene.

2. Ricky Berry

Ricky Alan Berry, an American professional basketball player for the Sacramento Kings in the NBA, tragically passed away in the 1989 off-season, shortly before his 25th birthday, due to a self-inflicted gunshot.

Despite displaying no apparent signs of depression, he left behind a suicide note, expressing feelings of unreciprocated love from his wife and a sense of being taken advantage of.

3. Eddie Griffin

Eddie Jamaal Griffin was an American professional basketball player from Philadelphia. He was last a member of the Minnesota Timberwolves of the National Basketball Association (NBA), who waived him on March 13, 2007.

He died in a car accident on August 17, 2007, at approximately 1:30 a.m. in Houston, Texas.

According to Houston police, Griffin ignored a railroad warning and went through a barrier before striking a moving train. The resulting fire burned Griffin’s sport utility vehicle (SUV) and the side of a railcar carrying plastic granules.

Griffin’s body was badly burned and there was no initial identification. Dental records later revealed that the man was Griffin.

4. Drazen Petrovic

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Dražen Petrović was a Croatian basketball player who achieved success in both Europe and the NBA. He started his professional career in Europe in the 1980s, winning several championships with Cibona and Real Madrid.

In 1989, he joined the NBA and quickly became one of the league’s best shooting guards. He was named one of FIBA’s 50 Greatest Players in 1991.

Petrović’s career and life were cut short when he died in a car accident in 1993 at the age of 28. He is still considered one of the greatest basketball players of all time.

5. Lorenzen Wright

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Lorenzen Vern-Gagne Wright was an American professional basketball player who had a 13-season career in the National Basketball Association. He was selected as the seventh overall pick in the 1996 NBA draft by the Los Angeles Clippers.

Throughout his career, he played for various teams including the Atlanta Hawks, Memphis Grizzlies, Sacramento Kings, and Cleveland Cavaliers.

Tragically, Wright went missing on July 18, 2010, and his lifeless body was discovered with gunshot wounds ten days later. In December 2017, his ex-wife Sherra Wright-Robinson was charged with involvement in his murder.

Approximately a year and a half later, she admitted her guilt. Additionally, her accomplice, Billy Ray Turner, was convicted of first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit first-degree murder, and attempted first-degree murder in March 2022, and received a life sentence in prison.

He received a life sentence behind bars. The extensive media coverage surrounding Wright’s disappearance, along with his prominent status in Memphis, resulted in the high-profile nature of the murder case in the city.

6. Conrad McRae

Conrad Bastien McRae, an American basketball pro, enjoyed a prosperous stint in European basketball, representing teams in France, Italy, Greece, and Turkey. He was also drafted by the Washington Bullets as the 38th overall pick in the second round of the 1993 NBA draft.

Tragically, in the summer of 2000, McRae suffered a fatal collapse while participating in wind sprints during an Orlando Magic summer league practice at the University of California, Irvine.

Although an autopsy could not ascertain the exact cause of his passing, McRae had a documented history of arrhythmia.

His untimely passing shocked the basketball world and left a void in the hearts of his loved ones. McRae was known for his athleticism, dedication, and passion for the game.

He was a beloved teammate and a respected opponent. His legacy continues to inspire young basketball players around the world.

7. Robert Traylor

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Robert DeShaun Traylor, nicknamed “Tractor” due to his imposing physique, was an American professional basketball player. Drafted as the sixth overall pick in the 1998 NBA draft, he played in the league for seven seasons (1998–1999 to 2004–2005), averaging 4.8 points per game as a reserve centre and forward.

On May 11, 2011, Traylor was found dead in his apartment in Isla Verde, Puerto Rico, after suffering a massive heart attack.

He was talking to his wife Raye on the phone at the time when the call suddenly ended, prompting her to inform team officials. ESPN reported that Traylor’s death was caused by a heart attack.

Traylor’s untimely passing at the age of 34 shocked the basketball community. He was remembered as a gentle giant with a kind heart and a strong work ethic.

8. Jason Collier

Jason Jeffrey Collier, an American professional basketball player who played in the National Basketball Association (NBA), passed away unexpectedly at the age of 28 on October 15, 2005, in Cumming, Georgia, during the NBA off-season.

An autopsy revealed that the cause of his death was a “sudden disruption of heart rhythm due to an unusually enlarged heart.” He had reportedly experienced shortness of breath before losing consciousness.

Emergency medical technicians provided medical attention, but Collier passed away while en route to the hospital.

Collier’s untimely passing was a shock to the basketball world. He was a promising young player who had just completed his earlier seasons in the NBA.

9. Fernando Martin

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Fernando Martín, a Spanish professional basketball player, was widely regarded as one of the greatest players in the history of Spanish basketball. He was a versatile athlete who excelled in both the centre and power-forward positions.

In addition to basketball, Martin was also a skilled athlete in swimming, handball, table tennis, and judo.

His exceptional talent was recognized by FIBA, which named him as one of the 50 Greatest Players in 1991. His outstanding achievements also earned him induction into the FIBA Hall of Fame in 2007.

However, Martin’s promising career was tragically cut short in a car accident on the M-30 motorway in Madrid. He lost control of his vehicle and succumbed to his injuries.

Martin’s untimely death sent shockwaves through the Spanish basketball community. He was a beloved figure and a role model for young players. His passing left a void in the sport and a deep sense of loss among his fans.

10. Len Bias

Leonard Kevin Bias, a prodigious college basketball player for the University of Maryland Terrapins, garnered accolades as a consensus first-team All-American during his four-year collegiate career.

However, his promising future in the NBA was tragically cut short when he suffered a fatal cardiac arrhythmia induced by a cocaine overdose, just two days after being drafted by the Boston Celtics as the second overall pick in the 1986 NBA Draft.

On the fateful evening of June 18, 1986, Bias, accompanied by his close friend Brian Tribble and several teammates, engaged in snorting cocaine in their dormitory suite. Shortly thereafter, Bias experienced a seizure and collapsed while conversing with teammate Terry Long.

Despite valiant efforts by the emergency medical team to resuscitate him, their attempts to resuscitate his heart and restore his breathing were unsuccessful. On June 19, 1986, at 8:55 a.m., Bias was officially declared deceased, with the cause of death attributed to a cardiac arrhythmia resulting from cocaine use.

Toxicology reports confirmed that no other substances, including drugs or alcohol, were present in his system.

11. Malik Sealy

Malik Sealy, an American professional basketball player, enjoyed an eight-season career in the National Basketball Association (NBA), playing for the Indiana Pacers, Los Angeles Clippers, Detroit Pistons, and Minnesota Timberwolves.

On May 20, 2000, at the age of 30, Sealy’s life was tragically cut short in a car accident in St. Louis Park, Minnesota.

Sealy was driving home from a birthday celebration for his teammate and close friend, Kevin Garnett, in downtown Minneapolis, when his SUV was struck head-on by a pickup truck travelling the wrong way on the highway.

The driver of the pickup truck, Souksangouane Phengsene, was intoxicated and survived the accident with serious injuries. Sealy, however, succumbed to his injuries at the scene.

Sealy’s death was a devastating loss for the NBA community and beyond. He was a talented athlete, a dedicated teammate, and a beloved friend.

His sudden passing sent shockwaves through the basketball world, prompting an outpouring of grief and condolences.

12. Reggie Lewis

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Reggie Lewis, a beloved member of the Boston Celtics, tragically passed away at the age of 27 on July 27, 1993. During an off-season practice at Brandeis University, he suffered a sudden cardiac arrest on the basketball court.

The two Brandeis University police officers who discovered him immediately attempted to revive him through CPR, but their efforts were unsuccessful.

The cause of death was determined to be hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, a structural heart defect that is a leading cause of death in young athletes.

13. Terry Furlow

Terry L. Furlow, an American basketball player, met his untimely demise in a tragic car accident on May 23, 1980. He was driving on Interstate 71 in Linndale, Ohio when he crashed into a pole at an estimated speed of 120 mph.

The accident occurred after he had spent the previous night with his former teammate, Foots Walker.

An autopsy report revealed the presence of cocaine and Valium in Furlow’s system at the time of the accident. Open containers of beer and marijuana were also found in the vehicle.

These findings suggest that Furlow may have been impaired by drugs and alcohol at the time of the crash.

Furlow’s death was a shock to the basketball world. He had played in the NBA for four seasons, representing the Philadelphia 76ers, Cleveland Cavaliers, Atlanta Hawks, and Utah Jazz. He was a talented player with a bright future ahead of him.

14. Nick Vanos

Nicolaas Peter Vanos, an American professional basketball player for the Phoenix Suns of the National Basketball Association (NBA), was born in San Mateo, California.

He was selected by the Suns as the 32nd overall pick in the second round of the 1985 NBA draft. Before his NBA career, Vanos played college basketball at Santa Clara University and attended Hillsdale High School. With the Suns, he served as a centre.

Vanos’s time in the NBA was tragically cut short due to his untimely passing. On August 16, 1987, Vanos and his fiancée, Carolyn Cohen, were en route to Phoenix, Arizona, following a visit to Cohen’s parents.

They had boarded Northwest Airlines Flight 255 at Detroit Metropolitan Airport in Romulus, Michigan. Shortly after takeoff, the plane crashed, resulting in the deaths of all 154 passengers and crew members, including Vanos and his fiancée, as well as two motorists on the ground.

15. Bryce Dejean-Jones

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Bryce Alexander Dejean-Jones, an American professional basketball player, played college basketball for Iowa State University after stints at USC and UNLV. He went on to play professionally for the New Orleans Pelicans in the National Basketball Association (NBA).

On May 28, 2016, Dejean-Jones was fatally shot in Dallas, Texas. He had mistakenly entered an apartment, believing it to be that of his girlfriend.

The shooting occurred after Dejean-Jones returned home from a Pelicans practice and began searching for his girlfriend’s apartment. He entered the wrong apartment, where he was confronted by the resident, who shot him in self-defence.

Dejean-Jones’s death was a shock to the basketball world. He was a talented young player who had just completed his rookie season in the NBA.

He was also a beloved teammate and friend. His death was the first of an active NBA player since 2007 when Eddie Griffin was killed in a car accident.

16. Caleb Swanigan

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Caleb Sylvester Swanigan, an American professional basketball player in the National Basketball Association (NBA), was selected by the Portland Trail Blazers with the 26th overall pick in the first round of the 2017 NBA draft.

During his three seasons in the NBA, Swanigan played for the Trail Blazers in two stints and also had a stint with the Sacramento Kings.

On June 20, 2022, at the age of 25, he tragically passed away in a Fort Wayne, Indiana hospital. The Allen County Coroner’s Office attributed his death to “natural causes.”

Swanigan was a standout basketball player at Purdue University, where he was named the Big Ten Player of the Year and a consensus All-American in his junior season. He was known for his rebounding prowess and his ability to pass out of the post.

17. Tyler Honeycutt

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Tyler Deon Honeycutt, an American professional basketball player, played college basketball for the UCLA Bruins, where he earned first-team all-conference honours in the Pac-10 (now known as the Pac-12) as a sophomore in 2011.

Honeycutt was drafted by the Sacramento Kings in the second round of the 2011 NBA draft. He played with the Kings for two seasons before continuing his professional career overseas.

On July 7, 2018, Honeycutt was involved in a shootout with police officers at his home in Sherman Oaks, California. After exchanging gunfire, he was found dead in his home, apparently from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. No officers were injured in the incident.

Honeycutt’s death was a shock to the basketball world. He was a talented athlete with a bright future ahead of him. His death is a reminder of the importance of mental health awareness and suicide prevention.

18. Bill Robinzine

William Clintard Robinzine, an American professional basketball player, tragically took his own life in September 1982 of carbon monoxide poisoning in his vehicle at a storage facility in Kansas City, Missouri.

Although he appeared outwardly positive, Robinzine was struggling internally due to his lack of NBA employment opportunities. He was deeply troubled by the absence of contract offers, especially after experiencing a decrease in playing time during his season in Utah.

Robinzine’s death was a shock to the basketball world. He was a talented player who had enjoyed a successful career in the NBA. He had played for the Kansas City Kings, Cleveland Cavaliers, Dallas Mavericks, and Utah Jazz. He was known for his athleticism, rebounding ability, and defensive prowess.

19. Adreian Payne

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Adreian DeAngleo Payne, an American professional basketball player, had a career in the National Basketball Association (NBA) with the Atlanta Hawks, Minnesota Timberwolves, and Orlando Magic.

He also played for various teams in Europe and Asia, and collegiately for the Michigan State Spartans.

On May 9, 2022, Payne was tragically shot and killed in Orlando, Florida, while trying to intervene in a domestic dispute.

He and his girlfriend had gone to the residence of Lawrence Dority, the suspect in the domestic dispute, to attempt to mediate the situation. However, Dority shot Payne during a confrontation. Payne was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

Dority claimed that he felt threatened by Payne’s height and believed that Payne was reaching for a weapon.

However, the police determined that Payne was unarmed and did not pose a threat. Dority was arrested and charged with first-degree murder.

20. Jackson Vroman

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Jackson Brett Vroman, an American-born Lebanese professional basketball player, tragically passed away on June 29, 2015, at the age of 34. His death occurred in a swimming pool accident at a friend’s residence in Hollywood, California.

Security footage showed him slipping into the pool, and the incident was ruled accidental. An autopsy revealed an enlarged heart and toxicology reports indicated the presence of ketamine, cocaine, and GHB in his system.

Vroman was naturalized as a Lebanese citizen to play for the Lebanon national basketball team, succeeding Joe Vogel, another American-Lebanese player. His father, Brett Vroman, had a brief stint with the Utah Jazz during the 1980–81 NBA season.

Vroman was a talented basketball player who excelled at both the collegiate and professional levels.

He played for the University of Iowa State in college and later had stints with several professional teams in Lebanon and France. He was known for his athleticism, shooting ability, and passing skills.

The tragic loss of these 20 NBA players during their basketball careers serves as a somber reminder of the risks and challenges that professional athletes face.

Each of these individuals left an indelible mark on the game they loved, and their memories continue to inspire fans and players alike. To explore more about the recent losses in the sports world, read here to find out about athletes who left us too soon.