Lorenzen Wright Found Dead: 10 Tragic Deaths of Basketball Stars

With the tragic news emerging surrounding the death of former NBA player Lorenzen Wright, it’s time to take a look at 10 hardwood heroes who died way too young.

After he was missing for 10 days, Wright’s body was reportedly found in a wooded area in Memphis; he is survived by two daughters and four sons.

“Lorenzen’s family has come together to mourn his loss and honor his legacy,” Wright’s family said in an issued statement. “We appreciate your thoughts, prayers and condolences as they are comforting at this very difficult time. Additionally, we ask that you please respect our privacy as we try to cope with his sudden loss.”

Sadly, Wright is one of many basketball stars to conclude his young and energetic life with a tragic death.

Here’s a look at 10 players, including Wright, who took their final bows here on Earth way too soon.

Terry Furlow (1954-1980)

Terry Furlow, who spent his college days at Michigan State, was selected as the No. 12 overall pick by the Philadelphia 76ers in the 1976 NBA Draft.

After a year with the 76ers, Furlow also spent time with the Cleveland Cavaliers, Atlanta Hawks, and Utah Jazz.

On May 23, 1980, Furlow died in a car accident near Cleveland, Ohio at 25 years old.

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Nick Vanos (1963-1987)

Nick Vanos was selected as the No. 32 overall pick in the 1985 NBA Draft by the Phoenix Suns, where he spent his entire two-year professional basketball career as the team’s center.

Vanos played at Hillsdale High School before playing college basketball at Santa Clara University.

On August 16, 1987, Vanos and his fiancée were on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 when it crashed on takeoff from Michigan, killing 154 passengers and the crew.

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Bobby Phills (1969-2000)

Bobby Phills, a collegiate product of Southern University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana (his hometown), was selected by the Milwaukee Bucks as the No. 45 overall pick in the 1991 NBA Draft (although he didn’t play a single game with them).

After a brief stint in the Continental Basketball Association (CBA), Phills returned to the NBA late in the 1991-92 season.

Spending nine seasons in the NBA—playing with the Cleveland Cavaliers and Charlotte Hornets—Phills averaged 11 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 2.7 assists per game.

On January 12, 2000, Phills was killed in a car accident while traveling behind teammate David Wesley at over 75 mph when his Porsche spun out of control and into oncoming traffic.

The Hornets retired Phills’ No. 13 jersey on February 9, 2000 (the very first number in Charlotte’s franchise history to ever be retired).

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Lorenzen Wright (1975-2010)

Lorenzen Wright spent 13 seasons in the NBA—donning jerseys for the LA Clippers, Atlanta Hawks, Memphis Grizzlies, Sacramento Kings, and Cleveland Cavaliers.

Wright, raised in Mississippi, played high school, college, and professional basketball in Memphis. He was selected by the LA Clippers as the No. 7 overall pick in the 1996 NBA Draft.

Wright averaged 8 points and 6.4 rebounds per game in his 13-year career, which came to an end this year.

On July 28, 2010, Wright was found dead after he had been missing for 10 days. He was apparently shot to death in a wooded area in Memphis, Tennessee.

Len Bias (1963-1986)

Len Bias, selected by the Boston Celtics as the No. 2 overall pick in the 1986 NBA Draft, didn’t get a chance to play a single game as a professional athlete.

Considered by many to be one of the greatest players to never hit the NCAA hardwood, Bias died two days after being drafted—on June 19, 1986—from cardiac arrhythmia induced by a cocaine overdose.

Known by friends and family as “Frosty,” Bias was 22 years old at the time of his death.

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Ricky Berry (1964-1989)

Ricky Berry, a small forward out of Oregon State and San Jose State, was selected by the Sacramento Kings as the No. 18 overall pick in the 1988 NBA Draft.

After a solid rookie campaign where he averaged 11 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 1.3 assists per game (along with shooting 40.6 percent from beyond the arc), Berry’s life came to a tragic end shortly thereafter.

On August 14, 1989 (just weeks before his 25th birthday), Berry was found dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound at his home in California following an argument with his wife.

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Eddie Griffin (1982-2007)

Eddie Griffin, a one-year college player at Seton Hall University, was selected by the New Jersey Nets as the No. 7 overall pick in the 2001 NBA Draft and was traded to the Houston Rockets on draft night in exchange for Jason Collins, Brandon Armstrong, and Richard Jefferson.

Spending time with both the Rockets and Minnesota Timberwolves as a professional, Griffin had a phenomenal first two seasons in the NBA with the Rockets. But he suffered from alcoholism as his troubles quickly began to pile up.

After entering an alcohol rehabilitation center in 2004, Griffin spent three seasons with Minnesota before being waived by the Timberwolves in 2007.

On August 17, 2007, the 25-year-old Griffin was killed in a car crash after reportedly ignoring a railroad warning and slamming into a moving train in Houston, Texas.

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Malik Sealy (1970-2000)

Malik Sealy was selected by the Indiana Pacers as the No. 14 overall pick in the 1992 NBA Draft and played eight seasons professionally.

Spending time with the Pacers, LA Clippers, Detroit Pistons, and Minnesota Timberwolves, Sealy was an active player at the time of his tragic death.

On May 20, 2000, the 30-year-old Sealy was killed in a car accident in Minnesota after traveling home from a birthday celebration for best friend and teammate Kevin Garnett.

In Sealy’s honor, the Timberwolves retired his No. 2 jersey.

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Jason Collier (1977-2005)

Jason Collier, drafted by the Milwaukee Bucks as the No. 15 overall pick in the 2000 NBA Draft, spent five seasons as a professional basketball player.

Collier was traded on draft day to the Houston Rockets, where he spent his first three seasons before two years with the Atlanta Hawks.

On October 5, 2005, Collier suddenly died during the offseason at 28 years old, becoming the first active player to die since Malik Sealy in 2000.

According to autopsy results, Collier died because of a “sudden heart rhythm disturbance caused by an abnormally enlarged heart.”

In honor of Collier, the Hawks wore permanent black shoulder patches on their jerseys.

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Reggie Lewis (1965-1993)

Reggie Lewis, selected by the Celtics as the No. 22 overall pick in the 1987 NBA Draft, spent his entire career in Boston.

A product of Northeastern University in Boston, Lewis averaged 20.8 points per contest in his final two years with the Celtics—concluding his NBA career averaging 17.6 points per game.

An All-Star in 1992, Lewis’ life came to a tragic end during the 1993 offseason.

On July 27, 1993, Lewis suffered sudden cardiac death on the basketball court. He was 27 years old.

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Denton Ramsey may be reached via email at [e-mail]

Drazen Petrovic (1964-1993)

I also have to mention Drazen Petrovic, who was selected by the Portland Trailblazers as the No. 60 overall pick in the 1986 NBA Draft.

Petrovic spent five seasons in the NBA after playing professionally overseas.

After two seasons in Portland, Petrovic spent three seasons with the New Jersey Nets.

Sadly, his life came to a tragic end at the age of 28 when he died in a car accident in Germany.

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