Slick Watts (1951–2025), beloved Seattle SuperSonics player

Slick Watts was a fan-favorite basketball player of the 1970s best known for his tenure with the Seattle SuperSonics, his skills on the court, and his distinctive headbands.

Oliver Miller (1970–2025), nine-year NBA veteran

Oliver Miller was a University of Arkansas star and Southwest Conference Player of the Year who went on to a nine-year career in the NBA.

Al Trautwig (1956–2025), longtime sports broadcaster 

Al Trautwig was a longtime sports broadcaster whose work ranged from baseball and basketball to the Olympics, hockey, tennis, and auto racing.

Gus Williams (1953–2025), Seattle SuperSonics All-Star 

Gus Williams was a 12-year NBA veteran and two-time All-Star with the Seattle SuperSonics who helped lead the team to victory in the 1979 NBA Finals.

Dick Van Arsdale (1943–2024), three-time NBA All-Star

Dick Van Arsdale was a three-time NBA All-Star with the Phoenix Suns who was drafted alongside his identical twin brother, Tom.

Lou Carnesecca (1925–2024), legendary St. John’s basketball coach

Lou Carnesecca was the longtime basketball coach for St. John’s University in New York City, reaching the postseason in all of his 24 seasons and racking up 526 career wins.

Chad Posthumus (1991–2024), Canadian basketball player

Chad Posthumus was a Canadian basketball player who played for the Winnipeg Sea Bears, among others, in the Canadian Elite Basketball League. 

Bob Love (1942–2024), Chicago Bulls great

Bob Love was a three-time All-Star forward for the Chicago Bulls who later became the team’s goodwill ambassador.

Jerrod Mustaf (1969–2024), Maryland basketball star

Jerrod Mustaf was a star basketball player at the University of Maryland who had a brief career with the New York Knicks and Phoenix Suns, as well as overseas teams. 

Dikembe Mutombo (1966–2024), Hall of Fame NBA shot-blocker

Dikembe Mutombo was an NBA star known for his towering height and his shot-blocking skills.

Al McCoy (1933–2024), longtime Phoenix Suns broadcaster

Al McCoy was a sports broadcaster best known for his 51 years as the play-by-play announcer for the Phoenix Suns, the longest tenure in NBA history. 

Mitchell Wiggins (1959–2024), Houston Rockets shooting guard

Mitchell Wiggins was a shooting guard for such NBA teams as the Houston Rockets and Chicago Bulls, as well as the father of current Golden State Warriors star Andrew Wiggins.

Alvin Attles (1936–2024), Golden State Warriors Hall of Famer 

Alvin Attles was a longtime NBA player, coach, executive and basketball Hall of Famer who spent more than 60 years with the Golden State Warriors.

Pat Williams (1940–2024), co-founder of the Orlando Magic

Pat Williams was a longtime basketball executive who helped lead the Philadelphia 76ers to a championship and eventually became co-founder of the Orlando Magic.

Joe “Jellybean” Bryant (1954–2024), WNBA coach & father of Kobe Bryant

Joe “Jellybean” Bryant was a former NBA player with the Philadelphia 76ers, a WBNA coach, and the father of NBA superstar . 

Robert Hughes (1928–2024), winningest boys’ HS basketball coach

Robert Hughes was a boys’ high school basketball coach in Fort Worth, Texas whose successful leadership lead to over 1,300 victories for his teams over decades.

Jerry West (1938–2024), three-time NBA Hall of Famer

Jerry West was a three-time NBA Hall of Famer widely considered one of the best to ever play, as well as a successful executive who helped launch the career of iconic pro ballers like . 

Chet Walker (1940–2024), Hall of Fame NBA forward

Chet Walker was a 13-year veteran of the NBA, a Hall of Fame forward, and a seven-time All-Star who played with the Philadelphia 76ers and Chicago Bulls.

Drew Gordon (1990–2024), former Philadelphia 76ers forward

Drew Gordon was a power forward with such basketball teams as the Philadelphia 76ers, as well as the older brother of Denver Nuggets forward Aaron Gordon. 

Bill Walton (1952–2024), Hall of Fame basketball player and announcer

Bill Walton was a Hall of Fame basketball player who won two championships with UCLA and two more after he joined the NBA, then became a star commentator after his playing days ended.

Darius Morris (1991–2024), former NBA point guard 

Darius Morris was a former NBA point guard who played for the Los Angeles Lakers, Brooklyn Nets, Philadelphia 76ers, and others.0

Akebono Tarō (1969–2024), Hawaiian-born sumo star

Akebono Tarō was a Hawaiian-born sumo star who became the first ever non-Japanese wrestler to achieve the sport’s highest rank and helped lead a resurgence of interest in the sport. 

Walt Wesley (1945–2024), former NBA player and Kansas Jayhawk 

Walt Wesley was a 10-year NBA veteran anda star player with the University of Kansas Jayhawks.

Robert Reid (1955–2024), Houston Rockets star in the 1980s

Robert Reid was a 13-year NBA veteran best known for his long tenure with the Houston Rockets, with whom he went to two NBA Finals.

Charles “Lefty” Driesell (1931–2024), college basketball coach 

Charles “Lefty” Driesell was a legendary college basketball coach known for his team-building skills, leading to over 100 wins with four different schools.

Earl “The Twirl” Cureton (1957–2024), NBA “big man” and college star 

Earl “The Twirl” Cureton was an NBA player and college standout who excelled at the University of Detroit Mercy and played pro ball with the Philadelphia 76ers, Detroit Pistons, and others.

Dejan Milojević (1977–2024), Golden State Warriors assistant coach

Dejan Milojević was an assistant coach for the Golden State Warriors and a former basketball star in Serbia, where he played for 15 years, winning three MVPs and three championships.

Eric Montross (1971–2023), Tar Heels legend and NBA player

Eric Montross was an NBA basketball veteran and a member of the 1993 NCAA Championship-winning University of North Carolina (UNC) at Chapel Hill Tar Heels team who came to be known as Bloody Montross after playing with a bleeding injury during a game against Duke University.

George McGinnis (1950–2023), Hall of Fame basketball great

George McGinnis was an ABA and NBA basketball player who led the Pacers to two ABA titles and was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

Johnny Green (1933–2023), four-time NBA all-star

Johnny Green was a four-time NBA All-Star who was a star player with the New York Knicks from 1959 to 1965, and who made the All-Star team his final time at the age of 37.

Walter Davis (1954–2023), Olympic gold medal-winning NBA star

Walter Davis was a basketball star at the University of North Carolina who later had six All-Star NBA appearances and won an Olympic gold medal with the 1976 USA men’s basketball team.  

Bobby Knight (1940–2023), legendary Indiana Hoosiers coach

Bobby Knight was a longtime basketball coach for the Indiana Hoosiers who became a college sports legend both for his remarkable winning record and for his notorious temper.

Bobby “Bingo” Smith (1946–2023), Cleveland Cavaliers all-time great

Bobby “Bingo” Smith was an all-time great for the NBA’s Cleveland Cavaliers who was part of the Miracle of Richfield squad and had his number retired.

Tasha Butts (1982–2023), Georgetown women’s basketball head coach

Tasha Butts was a former WNBA player who had recently been named the head coach of Georgetown University’s women’s basketball team.

Terry Dischinger (1940–2023), Hall of Fame basketball player 

Terry Dischinger was a College Basketball Hall of Fame player, three-time NBA All Star, and Olympic gold medal winner who became a patent-holding orthodontist.

Brandon Hunter (1980–2023), former NBA forward 

Brandon Hunter was a standout basketball player at Ohio University who became a power forward in the NBA for the Boston Celtics and Orlando Magic.

Nikki McCray-Penson (1971–2023), WNBA star and coach 

Nikki McCray-Penson was a star of the WNBA who won Olympic gold on the U.S. women’s basketball team in 1996 and 2000.  

Charles “Cotton” Nash (1942–2023), played in the NBA and MLB 

Charles “Cotton” Nash was a basketball star at the University of Kentucky in the 1960s who went on to play both basketball and baseball professionally.

Denny Crum (1937–2023), Hall of Fame Louisville basketball coach 

Denny Crum was the longtime head basketball coach for the University of Louisville, leading the Cardinals to two NCAA championships.

Larry “Gator” Rivers (1949–2023), Harlem Globetrotters dribbling star 

Larry “Gator” Rivers was a longtime member of the Harlem Globetrotters known for his dribbling skills.

Dick Groat (1930–2023), World Series champ with Pirates, Cardinals 

Dick Groat was a baseball and basketball player who won two World Series, with the Pittsburgh Pirates and the St. Louis Cardinals.

Willis Reed (1942–2023), all-time Knicks great

Willis Reed was an all-time New York Knicks great who helped his team win two NBA championships in the 1970s.

Billy Packer (1940–2023), Emmy-winning college basketball announcer

Billy Packer was a longtime college basketball announcer who covered the NCAA tournament for decades.

Chris Ford (1949–2023), Boston Celtics great

Chris Ford was a basketball player with the Boston Celtics and Detroit Pistons who scored the first three-point shot in NBA history.

Billie Moore (1943–2022), first U.S. Olympic women’s basketball head coach

Billie Moore was a women’s basketball coach who coached the first U.S. Olympic women’s basketball team to a silver medal in 1976.

Grant Wahl (1973–2022), acclaimed writer for Sports Illustrated

Grant Wahl was a sportswriter who focused on college basketball and soccer, including covering the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

John Y. Brown Jr. (1933–2022), former KFC owner and Kentucky governor

John Y. Brown Jr. was a businessman and politician who built KFC into a fast-food empire and went on to be elected governor of Kentucky.

Tiffany Jackson (1985–2022), WNBA star and coach

Tiffany Jackson was a WNBA star and coach who played for teams including the New York Liberty and Tulsa Shock.

Bill Russell (1934–2022), Boston Celtics legend

Bill Russell was a legendary center for the Boston Celtics known for his defense who won five NBA MVP awards.