The NBA community is mourning the sudden loss of former NBA center Sean Rooks.
ESPN reports that Rooks, an assistant coach with the Philadelphia 76ers, was dining at a Philadelphia restaurant when he suddenly collapsed and later died. He was 46. No cause of death has been determined.
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“It is with deep sadness and overwhelming grief that we mourn the sudden loss of my son, Sean,” his mother, Deborah Brown, said in a statement. “Our family asks that our privacy be respected as we grieve during this incredibly difficult time.”
Rooks played with various NBA teams, including the Lakers and the Magic, between 1992 and 2004 before starting a coaching career in 2007. Though he was a star on the court, Rooks’ friends and family remember him as a positive energy with a warm personality.
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“This is just a horrible shock,” his former University of Arizona coach Lute Olson said in a statement. “Sean was such a wonderful young man with a great disposition…During his time at Arizona, he was always one of the most pleasant individuals to be around. His positivity was something I’ll always remember. This is a tough day and a terrible loss for Arizona basketball.”
We send our prayers and love to Rooks’ loved ones.