Wake Forest Legend Rodney Rogers Dead at 54

The basketball world has lost one of its 1990s stars. Former college basketball player Rodney Rogers has passed away at 54.

His alma mater, Wake Forest, announced early Saturday that he had passed away Friday from natural causes. His death is linked to the spinal cord injury he suffered in 2008 after a dirt bike accident that left him paralyzed from the neck down.

The NBPA also released a statement about Rogers’ passing and commended him for persevering despite his injury.

“The last 17 years have been both challenging and profoundly blessed,” the NBPA statement said. “Through every moment, Rodney remained a light — positive, motivated, and full of the quiet strength that inspired everyone around him.”

NBPA Executive Director Andre Iguodala shared his personal connection, writing, “Rodney Rogers played 12 years in the NBA, and I was fortunate to play alongside him for one of those during my rookie year with the 76ers. He was a consistent force on the court.”

Rogers, a Durham, North Carolina native, stayed local for college, attending Wake Forest in 1990 and winning Rookie of the Year. After the ’93 season, he declared for the draft. He went to the Denver Nuggets, who had the 9th pick. After a few seasons, he was traded to the Los Angeles Clippers, where he played until 1999. Then he signed with the Phoenix Suns, which revived his career and earned him Sixth Man of the Year honors. He’d finish out his career with stints as a Boston Celtic, New Jersey Net, New Orleans Hornet, and Philadelphia 76er before retiring in 2005.

Rogers was most recently seen earlier this year when he was interviewed for the We Beat The Dream Team documentary, which explores the sports lore of a bunch of the top college players in the country beating the 1992 Dream Team— led by Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, and Larry Bird—in a scrimmage game.

Rogers is survived by his wife, Faye, and their children, Roddreka, Rydiah, Rodney II, Devonte, and Eric.

See social media’s response to the life, career, and death of Rogers below.