{"id":303834,"date":"2025-11-23T16:46:11","date_gmt":"2025-11-23T16:46:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/303834\/"},"modified":"2025-11-23T16:46:11","modified_gmt":"2025-11-23T16:46:11","slug":"former-suns-forward-dies-aged-54","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/303834\/","title":{"rendered":"Former Suns Forward Dies Aged 54"},"content":{"rendered":"

\t\t\t\t\"Rodney\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tGetty\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

25 Nov 2000: Rodney Rogers #54 of the Phoenix Suns walks out to the court during the game against the Los Angeles Clippers at the STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, California. The Suns defeated the Clippers 95-89. NOTE TO USER: It is expressly understood that the only rights Allsport are offering to license in this Photograph are one-time, non-exclusive editorial rights. No advertising or commercial uses of any kind may be made of Allsport photos. User acknowledges that it is aware that Allsport is an editorial sports agency and that NO RELEASES OF ANY TYPE ARE OBTAINED from the subjects contained in the photographs.Mandatory Credit: Robert Laberge \/Allsport<\/p>\n

Wake Forest University yesterday reported that one of their alumni, former NBA<\/a> player Rodney Rogers, died on Friday<\/a> at the age of 54.<\/p>\n

According to a statement from the National Basketball Players Association, his death was due to natural causes<\/a> linked to the spinal-cord injury he sustained in a 2008 ATV accident that had left him paralyzed.<\/p>\n

Rogers was the ninth overall pick in the 1993 NBA Draft<\/a>, selected by the Denver Nuggets<\/a> following a standout college career at Wake Forest. He went on to play 12 seasons in the NBA, appearing in 866 regular-season games and averaging 10.9 points<\/a>, 4.5 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game.<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\"\"\/<\/a><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Rodney Rogers, The Zion Williamson Of His Time<\/p>\n

A versatile forward, whose athleticism of his youth evolved into becoming a big man who could stretch the floor before the wider adoption advent of such player types, Rogers\u2019s NBA journey took him through seven teams. He began with the Nuggets, then was traded<\/a> to the Los Angeles Clippers<\/a> after two seasons, along with the draft rights to Brent Barry, in exchange for Antonio McDyess and the rights to Randy Woods at the time of the 1995 Draft.<\/p>\n

After joining the Phoenix Suns<\/a> as a free agent in the summer of 1999, Rogers would be dealt to the Boston Celtics<\/a> as a part of the 2002 Joe Johnson deal<\/a>, before concluding his career with short stints with the then-New Jersey Nets<\/a>, Charlotte Hornets<\/a> and Philadelphia 76ers<\/a>. Rogers last played in the NBA in the 2004-05 season, when he was traded<\/a> along with Jamal Mashburn from the Hornets to the Sixers in exchange for Glenn Robinson<\/a>, and averaged 6.0 points and 3.7 rebounds with the Sixers in his final 28 games. He never played professional basketball again.<\/p>\n

During his time in Phoenix, Rogers played two and a half of his most productive seasons. He won the NBA\u2019s Sixth Man of the Year award in the 1999\u20132000 season<\/a>, averaging 13.8 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 2.1 assists while playing all 82 games, and Rogers further played in 82 postseason games across the duration his career, posting averages of 7.9 points, 3.9 rebounds and 1.4 assists per game. As an individual highlight, Rogers also famously once scored nine points in eight seconds<\/a>, leading the Nuggets to an improbable last-minute comeback victory over the Suns.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Retirement And Accident<\/p>\n

Upon retirement, Rogers began working as a heavy machinery operator in his home city of Durham, New Carolina, purely because he liked doing it, and got promoted to supervisor within short order. He was also doing some voluntary coaching for a girl\u2019s team, and established a computer laboratory in a public housing complex. A particularly endearing line from his agent, James \u201cButch\u201d Williams, said that Rogers took the job just because \u201che loves big trucks.\u201d<\/a><\/p>\n

Unfortunately, Rogers\u2019 life took a tragic turn in November 2008 when he was paralyzed from the shoulders down following a dirt-bike accident and leaving him wheelchair-bound for the remainder of life. Among the many tributes that have pored in for Rogers, his former Wake Forest teammate and former NBA player in his own right, Rusty LaRue, called Rogers<\/a> \u201cas great a human being as he was an athlete\u201d.<\/p>\n

Was blessed to spend one season with Rodney at Wake. He was as great a human being as he was an athlete. RIP to the Durham Bull! https:\/\/t.co\/0dkVrc1Gmu<\/a>\n<\/p>\n

\u2014 Rusty LaRue (@Rusty_LaRue) November 22, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\"\"\/<\/a><\/p>\n

\n\t\t\tMark Deeks<\/a> I am continuously intrigued by the esoterica and minutiae of all the aspects of building a basketball team. I want to understand how to build the best basketball teams possible. No, I don\u2019t know why, either. More about Mark Deeks<\/a>\t\t<\/p>\n

\n\t\t\tMore Heavy on Suns\n\t\t<\/p>\n

\n\t\t\t\tLoading more stories\n\t\t<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t