20 Former NBA Players Who Died In 2023

#nba

The NBA lost plenty of former players in 2023. In memoriam for the former players who passed away in 2023.

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Sources: Basketball-Reference.com
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/11/16/sports/basketball/johnny-green-dead.html

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With 2023 behind us a new year awakes Fresh Starts more opportunities New Year’s resolutions for brighter Futures with these years going by always important to pay respect to the ones BR us all those positive memories we’ll never forget icons to be forever cherished never forgotten how’s it going

Guys my name’s Wilson here are the former NBA players who passed away in 2023 starting with Chris Ford forever known in the NBA history books the first player to ever hit the Revolutionary three-point shot as a member for the 19798 Boston Celtics the 652 Guard from Atlantic City New Jersey play college

Hoops at Villanova went all the way to the championship game in 1971 falling to UCLA drafted by the Pistons in 72 spent over six seasons in the Motor City before traded to Boston the full-time starting shooting guard in Larry BT’s rookie season started for the 81 won Champion Celtics averaged 10 a half

Points on 50% shooting in the finals retired after the 82 season a 10-year career averages of 9.2 points 3.4 assists 1.6 steals became an assistant with the Seas under casc Jones then Jimmy Rogers winning the 84 and 86 title working on the sidelines promoted to

Head coach for Boston from 90 to 95 then Coach the buck from 96 to 98 then the Clippers and the six briefly also division three for a school called brandish University in Massachusetts later a scout for the Sixers then a consultant for the Knicks four passed away January 17 from complications of a

Heart attack he was 74 Charles cotton Nash former small forward in the 60s started with the LA Lakers then to the Warriors before playing minor league baseball for two seasons before returning to Hoops with the Kentucky Colonels of the ab a a three sport competitor one of the greatest allaround

Athletes to ever participate for the University of Kentucky nine seasons of pro baseball including stints with the white socks and twins number 44 jersey retired inside rup Arena member of the Kentucky Sports Hall of Fame the New Jersey native earned his nickname Cent top in reference to his bright blonde

Hair following his athletic career worked in real estate and Coach minor league Nash died May 23rd from an ongoing illness since the previous November he was 80 butd Grant of the Minneapolis Lakers known as Harry Peter Grant Jr most known for his time playing in the NFL born in Superior Wisconsin

Enrolled in the US Navy during World War II the three sport athlete went to the University of Minnesota selected both the NFL and NBA draft 96 total games in the NBA averaged just 2.6 points 1.9 rebounds at 63 took his talents to the NFL after with the Philadelphia Eagles

Played defensive end then wide receiver then competed in the Canadian football league for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers a very successful coaching career a four-time great Cup champion with the Blue Bombers after becoming the youngest head coach in CFL history then coached the Minnesota Vikings won the title in

69 along with Coach of the Year one of the greatest coaches in Vikings History led the franchise to four super World Games 11 division titles one league title and three NFC titles later became an executive for the Vikings from 86 to 2022 and worked as a consultant for

Minnesota until his death and Avid Hunter and Fisher in his spare time as well as supporting environmental reforms a life of sports Excellence Grant still the first and only athlete to play in both the NBA and NFL a Graham played in the NBL in 1946 one year before the

Inard roll season for the Basketball Association of America Gren died at home in Bloomington Minnesota March 11th at age 95 Felton Spencer the seven-footer born 1968 in Louisville Kentucky after balling out in Eastern High School attended the University of Louisville from 86 to 90 becoming the all-time field goal percentage leader and nearly

63% selected by the Timo wolves with a six pick in the 1990 draft having a 73 wings b a terrific rookie season average 7 points eight rebounds one and a half blocks in 26 minutes six total NBA teams played including stin with the Jazz Warriors Knicks one game with Orlando

And 26 with San Antonio never became the same after rupturing his Achilles 34 games into the 95 season Spencer retired from the NBA after the 2002 season a 12year vet 640 games averages of over five and five later became an an assistant coach at Spalding University in Louisville Kentucky at Beller mine

University also in Louisville Spencer died at the University of Louisville Hospital March 12th he was only 55 Lance blanks the 642 guard played three total Seasons from 91 to 93 first two with Detroit followed by Minnesota averaged two points in 142 contest afterwards went to the CBA then Europe post playing

Career served as the G for the Phoenix Suns from 2010 to 2013 After Five Seasons as an assistant GM for the Cleveland Cavaliers also worked as a TV analyst for S Antonio in the 2005 season also a scout for the Spurs worked on Longhorn Network as an analyst where he

Played college ball for Texas unfortunately blanks died by suicide in Dallas Texas May 3d he was only 56 Whitey Vana known as Stanley Lee Van Jor the 61 guard lived a very long life was the oldest NBA alumnus before his passing also the only former NBA player

To reach 100 years old born in Pennsylvania bought at Penn State enlisted into the army during World War II played in the NBL in 1947 after his second Pro season lost his first and only NBA season in 1949 50 with the Tri City Blackhawks then the Baltimore Bullets 59 total games played at

Averaged 5.3 points 2.4 assists for many years coach junior teams later worked in advertising sales and worked as a bartender has six children 12 grandkids a true legend of the game play basketball with passion the first former NBA player to live to 100 years old many more shall follow in his footsteps

Decades down the line W live to 101 and 79 days old passed away September 6th Brandon Hunter de Cincinnati Ohio Ned played college ball for the Ohio Bobcat 156 overall to 2003 draft selected by Boston played two seasons in the NBA his second team the Orlando Magic 67 regular

Season games averaged 3.3 points 67 power forward signed with the bucks but way before the 056 season went to the CBA then overseas such as Greece Italy Puerto Rico Israel turkey and Germany played until 2013 then worked as a real estate broker founded his own sports agency called Hunter at lead Management

In 2021 September 12 Hunter sadly collapsed while performing Hot Yoga in Orlando Florida no other details emerged he was only 42 Terry Dinger the Indiana native bald out at Purdue the youngest member of the 1960 US Olympic team that won Gold the E Pig of the 1962 draft a

Former NBA Allstar started in the 6263 season one rookie of the year for the Chicago ciphers averaged 252 points eight rebounds as a 67 small forward also stint with the Pistons and last season with the Blazers didn’t play for a few years due to military service fulfilled his commission as National

Guard served two years in Hawaii averaged a respectable 13.8 points 5.6 rebounds for 652 regular season contests D Jer later completed dental school after retirement in 73 married for more than 50 years has a chemical engineering degree at Purdue graduated dental school in Nashville said practicing orthodontist was even more fun than

Basketball attended church regularly a man of many skills the former dentist passed away October 9th he was 82 Johnny Green known as jumping Johnny under 6 feet in high school didn’t play basketball till later a former Marine Corp during the Korean War then all of

The sudden by age 20 grew to 6’5 a former Marine based football coach a Michigan State Alum recognized Green’s athletic gifts wrote a letter of recommendation to Spartan’s basketball coach green later enrolled at Michigan State in 1955 became a Star Career rebounding average 16.4 jersey number 24

Retired drafted fifth in the 59 draft by the Knicks turned 26 years old as a rookie became a four-time NBA Allstar best season average over 18 and 12 one of the most interesting careers it appeared green was going to be out of the league after the 69th season averaging a career

Low 4.7 points 4 and a half Wards until asking Cincinnati coach Bob Koozie for a tryy out green had an insane Resurgence averaged 15.6 points 10.8 rebounds the season after while leading the league and F goal percentage 56% even made the All-Star team team at age 37 played till

39 1,57 regular season games 11.6 points 8.6 rebound average despite a late start green a 14-year career one of the most bizarre paths to the NBA from never playing high school ball to becoming the greatest unrecruited walk-on in NCAA history an incredible athlete one of the most unique players for his era green

Later opened a popular McDonald’s near JFK Airport in New York jumping Johnny truly one of the greatest hoop Stories the world will ever know Green died in Huntington New York November 16th he was 89 Ryan Miner the 67 small forward drafted 32nd in the 96 draft by the

Sixers didn’t play a single NBA game blocked out by Jerry stack outs and Clarence WP spoon for his position played in the CBA but also played High Level Baseball a College World Series champ of Oklahoma became most known for starting in front of Cal rip weapons Jr ending his consecutive game streak Four

Seasons in the MLB coach baseball after diagnosed with Coen cancer October 2022 unfortunately died from the disease December 22nd he was only 49 Eric Manos born in Indiana played at UNC also a baseball pitcher in high school drafted by the Chicago Cubs LED North Carolina to the 1993 National

Title pick nine by the Boston Celtics in the 94 draft eight total NBA Seasons career 4 and A2 points 4.6 boards play for six different teams announced his retirement at 31 due to foot injury worked as a color commentator for Tar Hill Sports Network supported many Charities sadly diagnosed with cancer in

March past December 17th he was only 52 Dedrick Willoughby the six three-point golf from Louisiana played at New Orleans transferred to Iowa State 25 games with the BS in the 2000 season 7.6 Point 2.6 assists his L year before going back overseas to Italy sadly passed away from a heart attack July

19th in Atlanta drawing a pickup game he was only 49 George Wilson The Six Day set of board in Mississippi played college hoops at Cincinnati territorial pick drafted eight 64 draft seven-year career over five and five played for six different teams worked as the YMCA director and lived in Fairfield Ohio

Competed in the Senior Olympics with basketball also Golf and Horseshoe died July 29th he was 81 Bingo Smith first name Robert the 65 shooting guard flash M forward six pick of the 69 draft very solid career numbers 12.6 points 4.2 rebounds almost 10 seasons in Cleveland

One of seven former Cavs to have his jersey in the Raptors nine Seasons averaging double digit points started with the San Diego go Rockets ended his career with the San Diego Clippers suffered a stroke April 1st died October 26 he was 77 Willie mcarter B out at

Drake University 12 pick of the 69 draft two seasons with the Lakers one with Portland seven-point average 155 games coach High School in Michigan after his NBA days then coach at Detroit Mercy mcarter suffered three Strokes in a 9mon span starting September 2005 passed away in Jackson Michigan April 18th he was 76

Walter Davis the North Carolina native a legend at UNC fifth pick of the 77 draft had one of the best rookie Seasons all time averaged 24.2 points one Rookie of the Year made six all-star teams two all NBAs one of the best pure Shooters averaged 19 for his career known as the

Greyhound for his Speedy style and physical appearance alltime Phoenix son’s leading score a player young Michael Jordan Idol Eyes his later years had back problems plus an ugly drug scandal played in Denver and Portland just 479 points shy of 20K his number six retired by the Suns Davis passed

Away in Charlotte North Carolina November 2nd at 69 from natural causes following his death Davis received his first nomination to the S Smith Hall of Fame George mcginness the ABA Legend 682 40 plus had the physical abilities and quickness made him one of the best players for his time born in Alabama

Grew up in miniapolis averaged 25 and 13 in the ABA spent time with the Sixers nuggets back to the Pacers career numbers of 20 points 11 rebounds both NBA and ABA put together injuries led to a quick decline six Allstars two time ABA Champion former ABA MVP made to Hall

Of Fame in 20177 died of hard comp complications December at 73 Willis Reed the New York Knicks Legend alltime great the captain Louisiana native attended Grambling State a pick of the 64 draft a fierce dominating physical force on both ends at Center the seven time All-Star the ultimate teammate Under the Red

Holman’s triangle offense LED New York to a franchise best 60 wins 1970 first player to win MVP allstar MVP and Finals MVP the same year may first team in all defensive first as well still to this day had one of the most courageous moments limping his way to playing game

Seven of the finals determined to win ignited his team to the title LED New York to another title in 73 a career limited by injuries averages of nearly 19 and 13 coached the Knicks 2 also in college work with the Hawks Kings and Nets then executive for New Jersey till

2004 VP of basketball oper operations with New Orleans from 04 to 07 the NBA legend passed away in Houston Texas March 21st from a harfield year he was 80 Bill Turner six years in the NBA the 67 power forward known for his time with the Warriors and Avid golfer passed away

At 79 Ernie Barnett the wimington Kansas native played ball at Kansas state two seasons with the Celtics in 54 and 56 63 shooting guard weighted two years after college after serving obligation in the US Air Force as commissioner officer became an assistant for his amama moer under text winners then became an

Athletic director known for his firm handshake well respected within the K State Community Barnett passed away April 21st he was 93 dick Gro known as Richard moral Gro Bor in wilers spur Pennsylvania the two sport athlete at Duke had his number 10 jersey retired in Cameron Indoor Stadium The dird Pick of

The 52 draft one season with the four Wing pistons in the 53 season averaged nearly 12 points a 511 point guard already made his MLB debut with the Pirates served in the military before returning to baseball made eight Allstar teams two-time World Series champion a batting title and a former MVP one of

The best Short Stops for his time spent 40 Seasons as a radio commentator for the Pittsburgh’s Panthers men’s basketball team Ro died in Pittsburgh from complications of a stroke he was 92 Floyd Kerr born in oxville Mississippi played ball at Colorado State drafted by the Suns the Utah stars of the ABA and

The Dallas Cowboys of the NFL never played a game in the NBA played in Belgium then Coach is amam mat as an assistant became an athletic director for several colleges Cur passed peacefully at home February 4th he was 76 Ahmad Ali the Florida state Legend played college ball alongside Dave

Cowens drafted by the Celtics but never played in the NBA worked in state government and coach basketball in his home state passed away March 5th he was 73 Charles Jordan of the ABA one season with the Pacers 71 games joined a 7576 season then played overseas in France

And Italy died at 69 after battling with diabetes and dementia notable mentions includes Brendan Malone father of Denver Nuggets head coach Michael Malone spent several decades mostly as an NBA assistant for several teams he was 88 Bobby Knight legendary college basketball head coach known for his intense personality there will never be

Another like him also coached the 1984 US Olympic team which had many NBA hall of famers Bill Shaun Ley longtime voice of the Portland Trailblazers herb Cole former owner of the Milwaukee Bucks rest in peace to all those part of the NBA Community who passed away in 2023