This is a list of all notable basketball players who died while on a team roster, as a free agent, or while not rostered, but still seeking work, playing for a national team, or otherwise not retired. Many of them died in accidents such as car or plane crashes. Some suffered sudden cardiac death, which has a higher incidence in basketball among young athletes. Some suffered from the heart condition hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, which is more common in African Americans. Basketball has a considerably higher ratio of African-Americans than other sports. Other deaths were caused by drug abuse.
Included are NBA players, WNBA players, college players, and players in other notable leagues who died before their retirement from basketball. Players who died following the conclusion of their career should not be included. Players are listed with the team for which they last played before death, rather than the team with which the player spent most of their playing career.
Basketball teams may honor active players who died by bestowing upon them a posthumous honor of a retired number.
Deaths of active players with individually notable careers
Africa Name Age Position Team League Cause of death Death Ref. Point guard DUC Nationale 1 unknown 6 April 2022
Asia Name Age Position Team League Cause of death Death Ref. Forward Çankaya Üniversitesi Women's Basketball Super League earthquake 12 February 2023 Power forward / center Blackwater Elite PBA heart enlargement (collapsed during practice) 3 July 2016 Blackwater forward Gilbert Bulawan dies after collapsing during practice , Richard Dy, Fox Sports Asia, July 3, 2016 Power forward Al-Najma Bahraini Premier League unknown 14 February 2022 Center / Forward GenSan Warriors MPBL Complications of thoracic aortic aneurysm 2 August 2025 Center Al-Ittihad SPL heart attack (collapsed during halftime) 1 April 2008
Australia and Oceania Name Age Position Team League Cause of death Death Ref. Shooting guard Perth Wildcats NBL car crash 21 August 1989 Guard Southern Districts Spartans NBL1 North breast cancer 11 September 2025
Europe Name Age Position Team League Cause of death Death Ref. Shooting guard Virtus Roma Lega Basket Serie A brain ischemia 24 August 1997 Forward Autun Basket Ligue Bourgogne-Franche-Comté de Basketball aneurysm on court 1 September 1991 Center Spartak Leningrad USSR Premier Basketball League cancer 3 October 1978 Small forward Partizan YUBA homicide by gunshot 15 December 2000 Forward Calais France coronary occlusion 12 June 1977 Center KK Cibona First Federal Basketball League car crash 12 May 1983 Center Lazio Serie A2 circulatory failure (drug induced) 26 November 1977 Shooting guard Paderborn Baskets ProA homicide by gunshot 13 August 2009 Small forward BC Khimki EuroLeague suicide by gunshot 7 July 2018 Power forward / center Falco Szombathely Nemzeti Bajnokság I/A car crash (on his way to practice) 28 December 2009 Power forward / center AEK Athens Greek Basket League stroke (collapsed during practice) 5 December 2021 Power forward Petrarca Padova Serie A car crash 2 June 1969 Power forward ASC 1846 Göttingen Regionalliga car crash 27 August 2023 Power forward/Center Spirou Charleroi Ethius League cardiac arrest (died in sleep) 13 May 2015 Center Federale Lugano Swiss Basketball League carbon monoxide poisoning 20 February 1978 Point guard AS Prishtina KBS homicide by gunshot 9 May 2007 Power forward / center Real Madrid Baloncesto Liga ACB car crash 3 December 1989 Forward Sarila Rimini Serie A heart failure 5 December 1978 Center Crvena zvezda ABAheart attack (collapsed during practice) 7 August 2020 Shooting guard Budivelnyk European North Basketball Leagueheart complications 15 January 2023 Center / power forward Juventus Utena LKLhomicide by gunshot 9 May 2022 Small forward / power forward Apollon Patras Greek Basket League suicide by gunshot 1 June 1989 Forward Crvena zvezda Yugoslav League groin injury complication 31 December 1968 Center OKK Beograd KLSheart defect (died in his sleep four days after winning the FIBA World Championship) 27 May 1970 Point guard Atletas Kaunas LKL heart attack (collapsed during game) 16 October 2004 Point guard Njarðvík Úrvalsdeild karla accidental fall 16 January 2000 Small forward / Shooting guard Monbus Obradoiro Liga ACB suicide 17 December 2024 Power forward Raiffeisen Dornbirn Lions Basketball Zweite Ligacancer 7 May 2023 Power forward / center Nationale masculine 2 heart attack 1 September 2023 Center ChinaMartini Torino Lega Basket Serie Aheart failure (undiagnosed Marfan's syndrome) 20 February 1977 Forward Tartu Dünamo Estoniaexecuted by German occupation forces during World War II 22 August 1941 Power forward Cholet LNB Pro Ahomicide 10 November 2015 Center Vologda-Chevakata Russian Superleague 1drowning 8 August 2010
South America and American islands Name Age Position Team League Cause of death Death Ref. Center Brasília NBB heart attack (died in sleep) 11 February 2017 Power forward / center Vaqueros de Bayamón BSN heart attack 11 May 2011
United States
NBA and other major leagues Name Age Position Team League Cause of death Death Ref. Small forward Sacramento Kings NBA suicide by gunshot 14 August 1989 Small forward Boston Celtics NBA heart attack (drug induced) 19 June 1986 Power forward Memphis Grizzlies NBA accident of drug mixture via speedball 11 May 2026 Center Atlanta Hawks NBA heart enlargement 15 October 2005 Shooting guard New Orleans Pelicans NBA gunshot 28 May 2016 Small forward / shooting guard Utah Jazz NBA car crash 23 May 1980 Power forward / center Minnesota Timberwolves NBA car crash 17 August 2007 Center Youngstown Bears NBL pneumonia 25 March 1946 Forward Nebraska Wranglers WPBL homicide by stabbing 7 February 1981 Forward New York Nets ABA plane crash 24 June 1975 Small forward Boston Celtics NBA cardiac arrest secondary to hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (collapsed during practice) 27 July 1993 Power forward / center Orlando Magic NBA heart enlargement (collapsed during practice) 10 July 2000 Point guard Houston Comets WNBAlung cancer 19 August 1999 Shooting guard New Jersey Nets NBA car crash 7 June 1993 Shooting guard Charlotte Hornets NBA car crash 12 January 2000 Shooting guard Philadelphia Rage ABL suicide by gunshot 18 January 1999 Shooting guard / Small forward Original Celtics EBL pneumonia 23 February 1922 , pp. 106–109 Power forward Utah Jazz NBA suicide by carbon monoxide poisoning 16 September 1982 Small forward / shooting guard Minnesota Timberwolves NBA car crash 20 May 2000 Guard Los Angeles Lakers NBA car crash 14 May 1967 Center Phoenix Suns NBA plane crash 16 August 1987
Minor leagues Name Age Position Team League Cause of death Death Ref. Point guard / Shooting guard Pottsville Packers EPBL gastrointestinal bleeding 17 December 1949 Power forward / center AND1 AND1 Mixtape Tour hypertensive heart disease 20 February 2011 Forward / center Johnstown Clippers AABL car crash 11 January 1951 Forward / center Wilkes-Barre Barons EPBL heart attack 31 July 1970 Center Martinez Muirs WBA suicide by drowning 25 March 1975 Small forward Grand Rapids Drive NBA G League cardiac arrest (collapsed during game) 26 March 2018
College Name Age Position Team League Cause of death Death Ref. Shooting guard Kentucky Wildcats NCAA car crash 22 April 2021 Center Baylor Bears NCAA homicide by gunshot 12 June 2003 Forward Utah State Aggies NCAA accidental electrocution 8 February 1965 Point guard USC Trojans NCAA homicide by gunshot 13 May 2006 Forward Grand Canyon Antelopes NCAA car crash 23 March 2021 Forward Loyola Marymount Lions NCAA heart condition (collapsed during game) 4 March 1990 Forward Tulane Green Wave NCAA car crash 27 July 2025 Forward Mount St. Joseph Lions NCAA brain cancer 10 April 2015 Center University of Arizona NCAApulmonary embolism 26 September 2005 Guard Murray State Racers NCAA drowning 27 July 1965 Point guard Western Kentucky NCAA Cardiac arrest due to hypertrophic cardiomyopathy 8 May 2005 Power forward Iowa Hawkeyes NCAA car crash 19 January 1993
Evansville Purple Aces plane crash Fourteen members of the 1977–78 Evansville Purple Aces men's basketball team died in a plane crash on December 13, 1977, along with fifteen others including head coach Bobby Watson. The players killed were:
Seniors: Kevin Kingston, John Ed Washington, and Marion Anthony “Tony” Windburn Juniors: Stephen Miller and Bryan Taylor Sophomores: Keith Moon Freshmen: Warren Alston, Ray Comandella, Mike Duff, Kraig Heckendorn, Michael Joyner, Barney Lewis, Greg Smith, and Mark Siegel
Freshman David Furr, the lone player who did not board Air Indiana Flight 216, died two weeks later in a car crash, meaning that all Purple Ace basketball players died during the 1977–78 season.
High school
Name Age Position Team League Cause of death Birth Death Ref. Guard / forward Simeon Career Academy IHSAhomicide 21 November 1984 Guard / forward Fennville High School AAUcardiac arrest seconds after making the game-winning shot 3 March 2011
See also Sudden cardiac death of athletes Kobe Bryant, 41, died in a helicopter crash alongside his 13-year-old daughter Gianna and seven other individuals. Bison Dele, 33, is believed to have been murdered at sea by his brother. Alphonso Ford, 32, died of leukemia one week after retiring. Florian Louart, 22, died of a heart attack one year after his retirement. Pete Maravich, 40, died while playing a basketball pick-up game several years after his retirement. Elijah Olaniyi, 26, who medically retired due to brain cancer, from which he later died. Caleb Swanigan, 25, died of natural causes two years after his final NBA game. Lorenzen Wright, 34, who was not rostered when he was murdered by his ex-wife.
References