Saying goodbye to your favorite basketball player is always hard, and when they pass away at a young age, it’s even more tragic. Many NBA stars such as Nick Vanos, Ricky Berry, and Terry Furlow, who made a name for themselves in the sports industry, left us abruptly and without any intimation. So, let’s look at the lives of some NBA stars who passed away very young and left behind a legacy of talent that continues to inspire their fans.
Bryce Dejean-Jones
Bryce Dejean-Jones was an American basketball player named Bryce Alexander Dejean-Jones. Before getting undrafted in the 2015 NBA draft by Idaho Stampede, the popular athlete played basketball for Lowa State University. Then, in 2016, he professionally joined the New Orleans Pelicans in the NBA. However, on 28th May 2016, Bryce was fatally shot after he kicked open the front door and bedroom of an apartment, which he mistakenly thought belonged to his girlfriend. At the time of his death, he was 23 years old.
Ricky Berry
Another professional basketball player who left the world too soon is Ricky Berry. The Sacramento Kings drafted the American basketball player in the 1988 NBA draft as the 18th overall pick in the first round. However, on 14th August 1989, the talented player was found dead at his home in California by a self-inflicted gunshot. It was alleged that before his death, he was involved in a heated argument with his wife and also left a suicide note in which he stated that his wife did not love him. Also, he was just 24 years old at the time of his death.
Nick Vanos
Nick Vanos whose actual name was Nicolaas Peter Vanos, was a popular American basketball player who played for Phoenix Suns in the National Basketball Association. In the 1985 NBA draft, Nick was selected by the Phoenix Suns as the 32nd overall pick in the second round. However, in August 1987, the talented player boarded a plane with his fiancee, Carolyn Cohen which crashed suddenly after the takeoff. The plane crash killed all the passengers and crew onboard. At the time of the crash, Vanos was 24 years old.
Terry Furlow
The Philadelphia 76ers selected the American basketball player in the 1976 NBA draft as the 12th overall pick in the very first round. Since then, he played for the Cleveland Cavaliers, Atlanta Hawks, and Utah Jazz in the NBA. However, on 23rd May 1980, at the age of 25, Terry Furlow was killed in a car accident when his automobile crashed into a pole in Ohio. The player was coming back after spending the night with former teammate Foots Walker.
Eddie Griffin
The American basketball player was from Philadelphia and had an exceptional playing career at the Roman Catholic High School. In the 2001 NBA draft, Eddie was selected by the New Jersey Nets as the seventh overall pick in the first round. However, he was immediately traded to the Houston Rockets in exchange for Brandon Armstrong, Jason Collins, and Richard Jefferson. However, on 17th August 2007, the talented basketball player died in a car crash at the age of 25. His autopsy report revealed that he had too much alcohol in his system when he died.
Caleb Swanigan
Caleb Swanigan was a famous American basketball player who made a name for himself by playing the sport for the Purdue Boilermakers during his college. In the 2017 NBA draft, he was drafted by the Portland Trail Blazers as the 26th overall pick in the very first round. In addition to the Portland Trail Blazers, Caleb has also played for the Sacramento Kings in the NBA. However, in June 20, 2022, the basketball player passed away at the age of 25 due to natural causes.
Fab Melo
The Brazilian basketball player was known around the world as Fab Melo though his real name was Fabricio Paulino de Melo. Before entering the world of the NBA, the player played the sport for the Syracuse Orange men’s basketball team. In the 2012 NBA draft, Fab Melo was selected by the Boston Celtics of the NBA as 22nd overall pick. In addition, he has been a part of the Memphis Grizzlies, Dallas Mavericks, and Texas Legends. On 11th February 2017 at the age of 25, he was discovered dead at his home in Brazil and it was revealed that he suffered a heart attack.
Reggie Lewis
Reggie Lewis was an American basketball player who died when he was still a member of the Boston Celtics. In the 1987 NBA draft, Reggie was selected by the Boston Celtics as the 22nd overall pick in the first round. However, in July 1993, the basketball player passed away during an off-season practice session at Brandeis University. It was revealed that he suffered a heart attack at the age of 27, due to which he collapsed on the basketball court.
Tyler Honeycutt
Tyler Honeycutt was a professional basketball player from America, whose real name was Tyler Deon Honeycutt. In the 2011 NBA draft, the American player was drafted by the Sacramento Kings in the second round as the 35th overall pick. Also, during his professional career, he played for EuroLeague clubs Khimki and Anadolu Efes. However, in 2018, he passed away due to a self-inflicted gunshot to his head. At the time of his death, Tyler was 27 years old.
Jason Collier
Another basketball player who passed away at a very young age is Jason Collier. He was an American professional basketball player who was selected in the 2000 NBA draft by the Milwaukee Bucks as the 15th overall pick. However, he was immediately traded to the Houston Rockets in exchange for Joel Przybilla. Also, from 2004 to 2005, he played for the Atlanta Hawks. But on 15th October 2005, Jason Collier died at the age of 28 due to a sudden heart rhythm disturbance.
Drazen Petrovic
The Yugoslav and Croatian professional basketball player was selected by the Portland Trail Blazers in the 1986 NBA draft as the 60th overall pick. Before starting his NBA career, he was popular for playing basketball in Europe in the 1980s for Cibona and Real Madrid. However, on 7th June 1993, the stellar basketball player died at the age of 28 in a tragic car accident. It was revealed that he was a passenger in the car that was cut off by a semi-truck.
Bill Robinzine
Bill Robinzine whose actual name was William Clintard Robinzine, was an American professional basketball player, who was selected in the 1975 NBA draft by the Kansas City Kings as the 10th overall pick. During his seven seasons in the NBA, Bill Robinzine played basketball for the Kansas City Kings, Cleveland Cavaliers, Dallas Mavericks, and Utah Jazz. However, in September 1982, the NBA player passed away after committing suicide in his car by carbon monoxide at a storage place in Missouri. At the time of his death, Bill was just 29 years old.
Bobby Phills
The American basketball player left the world too soon. Bobby Phills was drafted by the Milwaukee Bucks in the 1991 NBA draft as the 45th overall pick in the 2nd round. In addition to Milwaukee Bucks, Phills played as a shooting guard for the NBA’s Cleveland Cavaliers and Charlotte Hornets. In 1996, Michael Jordan stated that Phills was one of the toughest defenders he had ever faced in his entire career. However, in January 2000, Bobby Phills passed away in a car accident in North Carolina at the age of 30.
Malik Sealy
Malik Sealy was an American professional basketball player, who played for a total of eight seasons in the National Basketball Association for the Minnesota Timberwolves, Los Angeles Clippers, Detroit Pistons, and Indiana Pacers. In the 1992 NBA draft, Malik Sealy was selected by the Indiana Pacers as the 14th overall pick in the 1st round. However, on 20th May 2000, he tragically lost his life in a car accident when he was returning home from a birthday celebration of Kevin Garnett.
Adreian Payne
The American basketball player played the sport for several teams during his time in the NBA. In the 2014 NBA draft, Adreian Payne was selected by the Atlanta Hawks as the 15th overall pick in the first round. Since then, he also played basketball for the Orlando Magic and Minnesota Timberwolves. However, on 9th May 2022, the basketball player was shot dead in Florida after he and his girlfriend traveled to the home of Lawrence Dority to prevent a domestic dispute. At the time of his death, he was 31 years old.
Yinka Dare
Yinka Dare was a Nigerian basketball player who played a total of four seasons in the NBA. He was selected in the 1994 NBA draft by the New Jersey Nets as the 14th overall pick in the first round. Also, he played intermittently in other leagues, such as the Continental Basketball Association and the United States Basketball League. However, in 2004, Yinka Dare passed away at the age of 31 due to a heart attack and collapsed in his home in New Jersey.
Bison Dele
Bison Dele was an American professional basketball player named Brian Carson Williams. The talented player played the sport as a center for the Denver Nuggets, Orlando Magic, Chicago Bulls, Detroit Pistons, and Los Angeles Clippers. In the 1991 NBA draft, he was selected by the Orlando Magic as the 10th overall pick in the first round. However, Bison Dele disappeared in 2002 when he and his girlfriend, Serena Karlan, along with Bertrand Saldo and Bison’s brother, Miles Dabord, sailed from Tahiti. Apart from Miles Dabord, no one on the watercraft returned and it was believed that all of them were murdered by Bison’s brother.
Alphonso Ford
The American basketball player was regarded as one of the greatest basketball scores in college basketball history. In the 1993 NBA draft, Alphonso Ford was selected by the Philadelphia 76ers as the 32nd overall pick in the second round. He also showed his skills in the Continental Basketball Association and EuroLeague. He was named the EuroLeague Top Scorer two times and earned the All-EuroLeague selection three times in a row. However, in September 2004, he passed away due to Leukemia at the age of 32. Further, he was survived by his wife and two children.
Lorenzen Wright
Lorenzen Wright, whose real name was Lorenzen Vern-Gagne Wright was an American basketball player who played the sport for a total of 13 seasons in the NBA. In the 1996 NBA draft, he was drafted by the Los Angeles Clippers as the seventh overall pick in the first round. Also, he has played basketball for the Memphis Grizzlies, Atlanta Hawks, Cleveland Cavaliers, and Sacramento Kings. However, on 18th July 2010, Lorenzen Wright went missing and was found shot to death 10 days later. His ex-wife, Sherra Wright-Robinson, and her friend, Billy Ray Turner, were found guilty of his murder.
Derek Smith
The American basketball player was known worldwide for winning the national championship in 1980 with the Louisville Cardinals. In the 1982 NBA draft, Derek Smith was drafted by the Golden State Warriors. Since then, he has spent nine years in the NBA playing for the Los Angeles Clippers, Sacramento Kings, Boston Celtics, and Philadelphia 76ers. However, in August 1996, Smith suffered a heart attack at the age of 34 and ultimately died. The medics of the ship tried to revive him for 25 minutes but declared him dead after some time. Before his death, Smith went on a cruise ship with the Washington Bullets for the season ticketholders and Washington Capitals. Also, he took his family along with him.
Robert Traylor
Robert Traylor, the star player of the National Basketball Association died at a very young age. He was known as The Tractor because he had a huge hulking body structure. The American basketball player was selected by the Dallas Mavericks in the 1998 NBA draft as the sixth overall pick. Since then, he played seven seasons in the NBA by being a part of numerous teams such as Milwaukee Bucks, Cleveland Cavaliers, Charlotte Hornets, New Orleans Hornets, and many more. However, on 11th May 2011, Robert Traylor was found dead at his apartment in Puerto Rico. It was reported that the NBA star died due to a tragic heart attack, which he suffered at the age of 34. His body was found at his house in Isla Verde, Puerto Rica.
Jackson Vroman
The Lebanese basketball player, who was born in America, is the son of former NBA player Brett Vroman, who played basketball for the Utah Jazz in the 1980-1981 NBA season. In the 2004 NBA draft, Jackson Vroman was selected by the Chicago Bulls as the 31st overall pick in the 2nd round. Also, in the NBA, he has played for the New Orleans Hornets and Phoenix Suns. However, in June 2015, Jackson Vroman was found dead in a swimming pool at his friend’s home in California, and the death was ruled accidental after the security camera footage showed him falling in the pool accidentally. At the time of his death, the NBA player was just 34 years old. In the autopsy, it was mentioned that Vroman had an enlarged heart with Ketamine, Cocaine, and GHB in his system.
Michael Wright
Michael Wright was a professional basketball player who was American and Turkish. In the 2001 NBA draft, the New York Knicks drafted the talented player as the 39th overall pick in the second round. However, he did not join the NBA and became one of the eight players selected in the 2001 NBA draft who never played any game. He then moved overseas and played for different teams such as Pau Orthez, Granada, Mersin BB, and many more. However, in November 2015, the player was murdered, and his body was found covered in trash bags in the back seat of his car.
Andre Emmett
The American basketball player played the sport for Texas Tech Red Raiders in college before starting his professional career in the NBA. In the 2004 NBA draft, he was selected by the Seattle SuperSonics in the second round as the 35th overall pick. Also, he has briefly played for the New Jersey Nets and Memphis Grizzlies. However, on 23rd September 2019, Andre Emmett died after being shot in Dallas, Texas. The star player was taken to the hospital immediately but he was pronounced dead by the medical professionals. At the time of his death, he was just 37 years old.
Maurice Stokes
Another NBA player who left a legacy of talent and passion after his death is Maurice Stokes. He was an American basketball player who played his entire NBA career for the Cincinnati Royals. In the 1955 NBA draft, the three-time NBA All-Star was selected by the Cincinnati Royals in the 1st round as the second overall pick. In 1958, during his last game, he struck his head and fell unconscious and later suffered a post-traumatic brain injury that damaged his motor-control center. However, on 6th April 1970, the NBA star suffered a heart attack at the age of 36.
Anthony Frederick
Anthony Frederick was a professional basketball player from America who played three seasons in the NBA for the Charlotte Hornets, Indiana Pacers, and Sacramento Kings. In the 1986 NBA draft, the basketball player was drafted by the Denver Nuggets as the 133rd overall pick in the 6th round. However, his professional career was cut short when he passed away in May 2003. It was reported that Anthony suffered a heart attack at the age of 38 which took his life.
Rasual Butler
Rasual Butler had a 14-year-long NBA career during which he played for the New Orleans Hornets, Miami Heat, Los Angeles Clippers, Toronto Raptors, Indiana Pacers, Chicago Bulls, San Antonio Spurs, and Washington Wizards. However, on 31 January 2018, Rasual Butler and his partner passed away in a tragic car accident that occurred in Los Angeles, California. Also, it was reported that at the time of his death, Butler was just 38 years old.
Robert Hawkins
The popular basketball player from America was drafted by the Golden State Warriors in the 1975 NBA draft as the 51st overall pick. Also, during his time in the NBA, he played for the New York Nets and Detroit Pistons. In his rookie season, he played 32 games for the Golden State Warriors. However, the professional career of the talented athlete came to an abrupt end when he passed away at a young age. On 28th November 1993, Robert Hawkins was found shot to death in a crack house located on Detroit’s north side. Also, with regard to his death, nobody has ever been arrested.
Pete Maravich
Pete Maravich was a famous basketball player who was known as Pistol Pete amongst his beloved fans. In the 1970 NBA draft, he was selected by the Atlanta Hawks as the third overall pick in the first round. Since then, he has also briefly played for the New Orleans/ Utah Jazz and Boston Celtics. However, in January 1988, the talented NBA player lost his life after suffering heart failure at the young age of 40. After his death, his wife Jackie and two sons survive him.
Alec Kessler
The American basketball player, before starting his professional career in the NBA, played for the University of Georgia. In the 1990 NBA draft, Alec Kessler was drafted by the Houston Rockets in the first round as the twelfth overall pick, but he was immediately traded to the Miami Heat in exchange for Carl Herrera and Dave Jamerson. After quitting professional basketball, Alec Kessler became an orthopedic surgeon. However, the talented NBA star passed away due to a heart attack in Florida in October 2007. He is survived by his wife Rhea and two children namely, Christopher and Nickolas. In addition to the NBA, Kessler played basketball in the Italian League for Olimpia Stefanal Milano.
Kobe Bryant
Hall of Fame Star Kobe Bryant was one of the greatest basketball players who left the world at a young age. He was a widely loved shooting guard who played his entire 20-year NBA career for the Los Angeles Lakers. In the 1996 NBA draft, the son of former player Joe Bryant was selected by the Charlotte Hornets as the 13th overall pick in the first round. However, on 26th January 2020, the helicopter in which Kobe Bryant, his 13-year-old daughter Gianna, and six family friends were traveling along with the pilot crashed into the side of a mountain in Calabasas. It was reported that Kobe Bryant was just 41 years old at the time of his death.
Nate Bowman
The American basketball player was selected by the Cincinnati Royals in the 1965 NBA draft as the seventh overall pick in the first round. Also, he played the sport for the New York Knicks, Buffalo Braves, Chicago Bulls, and Pittsburgh Condors. However, the star player passed away in December 1984, due to a sudden heart attack which he suffered at the age of 41 in New York City. It was reported that during an audition for a television commercial, Nate Bowman began to complain about chest pains. He was immediately rushed to the hospital, but he died in the emergency room when he showed no signs of vitals.
Devin Gray
Devin Antoine Gray was a professional basketball player from America who became widely popular as Devin Gray. When he was in college, Gray played basketball for Clemson University. During his three-year career in the National Basketball Association, he played for three teams including the Sacramento Kings, Houston Rockets, and San Antonio Spurs. However, the skilled player tragically died on 17th August 2013 after suffering a cardiac arrest at the age of 41 in Georgia.
Alan Ogg
Another famous basketball player who left the world at a young age is Alan Ogg whose actual name is Raymond Alan Ogg. Before beginning his professional basketball career with the NBA, the talented athlete played the sport for the University of Alabama at Birmingham. In the National Basketball Association, Alan Ogg spent a total of three years. However, on 1st November 2009, he passed away due to the complications of staphylococcal infection in his heart valve. It was revealed that at the time of his demise, he was 42 years old.
Dwayne Schintzius
The American basketball player was drafted by the San Antonio Spurs in the 1990 NBA draft as the 24th overall pick in the first round. Since then, he has played for ten seasons by being the reserve player of six different teams because he had severe back problems which reduced his effectiveness. However, in November 2009, he was diagnosed with chronic myelomonocytic leukemia, which is a fatal disease. In 2010, his brother Travis gave him his bone marrow due to which he underwent a successful bone marrow transplant at a hospital in Tampa. In April 2012, he passed away at the age of 43 due to a respiratory failure at a Cancer Center.
Wayman Tisdale
Wayman Tisdale was an American basketball player who was also famous as a jazz bass guitarist. In the 1985 NBA draft, he was drafted by the Indiana Pacers as the second overall pick in the first round. During his time in the NBA, Tisdale played as a power forward for the Sacramento Kings, Indiana Pacers, and Phoenix Suns. However, in May 2009, he died at a Medical Center in Tulsa where he was admitted by her wife due to problems in breathing. She revealed that he died after the food pipe ruptured because of the radiation of cancer treatment.
John Williamson
The American basketball player, John Williamson was selected by the Atlanta Hawks in the 1973 NBA draft as the 96th overall pick. However, in the 1976-1977 season, the talented NBA player was traded to the Indiana Pacers in the middle of the season. On 30th November 1996, Williamson passed away due to kidney failure which was the result of his diabetes. At the time of his demise, the athlete was just 45 years old. After his death, he is survived by his four kids and wife, Bertha Williamson.
Kevin Duckworth
Another NBA star, who lost his precious life at a very young age is Kevin Duckworth whose actual name is Kevin Jerome Duckworth. In the 1986 NBA draft, the player was selected by the San Antonio Spurs in the second round but before completing his rookie year, he was sent to Portland Trail Blazers. However, in August 2008, Kevin passed away due to heart failure. He was found in an unconscious state on the floor of his hotel room in Oregon. It was revealed that he was 45 years old at the time of his death.
Clifford Rozier
Clifford Rozier was an American basketball player who made a name for himself in the sports industry because of his distinct skills and abilities. In the 1994 NBA draft, he was selected by the Golden State Warriors as the 16th overall pick. However, at the young age of 45, the NBA star passed away due to a sudden heart attack.
Brooks Thompson
The American basketball player and coach, Brooks Thompson played the sport for various teams in the NBA which includes Utah Jazz, Orlando Magic, New York Knicks, Denver Nuggets, and many more. He was selected by the Orlando Magic in the 1994 NBA draft as the 27th overall pick in the very first round. However in 2016, he was diagnosed with organ failure but in June of the same year, he passed away at the age of 45.
Sean Rooks
Sean Rooks whose real name was Sean Lester Rooks was a basketball player from America who played the sport for National Basketball Association. In the 1992 NBA draft, he was drafted by the Dallas Mavericks as the 30th overall pick in the second round. However, just hours after interviewing for a job on the New York Knick coaching staff, the NBA player passed away in 2016 due to a heart disease. At the time of his death, he was just 46 years old.
Lorenzo Charles
After playing basketball for North Carolina State University, the American basketball player was drafted by the Atlanta Hawks in the 1985 NBA draft as the 41st overall pick. However, at the age of 47, Lorenzo Charles passed away in a tragic bus accident in June 2011. Apart from the NBA, the star player has played basketball for various teams in Europe.
Armen Gilliam
Armen Gilliam was a professional basketball player from America who played for a total of thirteen seasons in the NBA. In the 1987 NBA draft, the talented athlete was drafted by the Phoenix Suns as the second overall pick. However, in July 2011, he collapsed during a basketball game at the LA Fitness gym and was subsequently rushed to the hospital. It was reported that the talented player passed away due to a heart attack.
Anthony Mason
Another professional basketball player who lost his precious life at a young age was Anthony Mason. He was an American basketball player who played the sport for a total of 13 seasons in the NBA by being a member of various teams such as the New York Knicks, Denver Nuggets, New Jersey Nets, Milwaukee Bucks, and many more. However, at the age of 48, Mason passed away in February 2015 because he had a heart attack and was diagnosed with congestive heart failure.
Mel Turpin
Mel Turpin whose actual name was Melvin Harrison Turpin, was a professional basketball player who played in the NBA for five seasons. In the 1984 NBA draft, he was drafted by the Washington Bullets as the sixth overall pick. However, on 8th July 2010, he passed away due to suicide in his home. It was reported that he died due to a self-inflicted gunshot wound at the age of 49.
Quintin Dailey
The American basketball player, before starting his NBA career, played the sport for the University of San Francisco. During his professional career, Dailey played for the Los Angeles Clippers, Chicago Bulls, and Seattle SuperSonics. However, at the age of 49, the talented player passed away in his sleep due to hypertensive cardiovascular disease in Las Vegas.
Roy Tarpley
Roy Tarpley was an American professional basketball player whose real name was Roy James Tarpley Jr. During his career in the NBA, he played at the center and power forward positions. However, in 1995, he was banned by the NBA because of his substance abuse. However, on 9th January 2015, he passed away due to an undisclosed cause. It was reported that his death was caused due to liver failure. Also, it was reported that he was 50 years old at the time of his demise.
