Rodney Rogers, who spent over a decade in the NBA and won a Sixth Man of the Year award, died Friday.
He was 54.
Rogers spent 12 years in the NBA after a legendary college career at Wake Forest.
“Rodney Rogers transformed and accelerated the upward trajectory of Wake Forest University as well as Demon Deacons basketball from the moment he signed his letter of intent in the fall of 1989,” Wake Forest University vice president and director of athletics John Currie wrote in a statement.
“His generational combination of power and grace as a player was exceeded only by the size of his heart. His perseverance and spirit following his accident inspired thousands and embodied the true meaning of Pro Humanitate. Rodney showed us what strength looks like in every chapter of life. Our hearts are with Faye, Roddreka, Rodney II, Rydeiah and the entire Rogers family.”
Rogers burst onto the scene in Winston-Salem in 1991, earning ACC Freshman of the Year honors and leading the Demon Deacons to the NCAA Tournament.
In 1993, he was named ACC Player of the Year and a First Team All-American.
After his time at Wake Forest, Rogers was selected No. 9 overall by the Nuggets in the 1993 NBA Draft.
He played for seven different franchises during his professional career, including the Nuggets, Clippers, Suns, Celtics, Nets, Hornets and 76ers.
In 1999-2000, Rogers had perhaps the best season of his career, winning the NBA Sixth Man of the Year after averaging 13.8 points on 48.6 percent shooting while playing all 82 games for the Suns.
He played two seasons for the Nets from 2002-04, reaching the NBA Finals in 2003.
“We’re saddened to hear of the passing of Rodney Rogers, a former Net and member of our 2003 Eastern Conference Championship team,” the team wrote in a statement. “Our thoughts and prayers are with his family today.”
In 2008, after his playing days, Rogers was paralyzed from the shoulders down after an ATV accident.
He would later establish the Rodney Rogers Foundation, which helped individuals living with spinal injuries like his.
“It’s easy to focus on his extraordinary talent, but what stood out to everyone who knew him was that he was every bit as remarkable as a human being,” former Wake Forest head coach Dave Odom said in a statement.
“He loved his teammates, he loved his family, he loved Wake Forest and he loved the game of basketball. He loved playing for Wake Forest. Every time we visited him, I walked away reminding myself never to complain — because he never did. He faced life exactly as it came and made the very best of every moment. He was a joy to watch as a basketball player, but he was an even greater man.
“He shared his strength, his spirit and his life with everyone around him.”
