Rodney Rogersformer player of the NBA for 12 seasons, died this Saturday at the age of 55. The former forward spent the last 17 years paralyzed from the shoulders down due to a motocross accident in 2008. His death was confirmed by the league, his former university Wake Forest and the National Players Association (NBPA).
Rogers, born in 1971, played for seven franchises: Denver Nuggets Los Angeles ClippersPhoenix Suns, Boston Celtics, New Jersey Nets, New Orleans Hornets and Philadelphia 76ers. His most notable season came in 2000, when he won the Sixth Man of the Year award with the Suns.
In a statement, the NBA expressed its regret over the news and praised the former player. “The NBA family is deeply saddened by the passing of Rodney Rogers. Rodney won the Sixth Man of the Year Award playing for the Phoenix Suns and was a beloved teammate throughout his 12-year NBA career. He will be remembered not only for his achievements on the court, but also for the extraordinary resilience, bravery and generosity he demonstrated throughout his life, qualities that inspired so many. “We send our sincere condolences to Rodney’s wife, Faye, and his family.”
A solid career, a devastating accident and a legacy that transcended the fields
Rogers was a college star in Wake ForestEditwhere he won the ACC Best Player award in 1993 after averaging 21.2 points and 7.4 rebounds. That performance led him to be chosen 9th overall in the 1993 NBA Draft by the Nuggets. In his professional career he accumulated averages of 10.9 points and 4.5 rebounds per game.
His life changed November 28, 2008. While riding a motorcycle in a rural area of Vance County, North Carolina, he fell into a ditch and overturned while holding the handlebars. The injury left him paralyzed from the shoulders down. Since then, Rogers faced complications from his spinal cord injury, which the NBPA said were the natural cause of his death.
The NBPA, in its official message, highlighted his inner strength: “The last 17 years have been both challenging and deeply blessed. At every moment, Rodney remained a light: positive, motivated and filled with the quiet strength that inspired everyone around him.”
Wake Forest also paid tribute to one of its most iconic players. Rogers had been ACC Rookie of the Year in 1991 and Player of the Year in 1993, in addition to having his number 54 retired. The university recalled that his injury led to the creation of the Rodney Rogers Foundation, dedicated to supporting people with spinal cord injuries.
His former teammate Randolph Childress described him with deep admiration: “Rodney is the strongest person I have ever met—physically and mentally—and his resilience was evident in the fight he showed every day. I have said this before and I still believe it: He was the greatest athlete to ever step foot on the Wake Forest campus. He meant so much to so many people, and I am deeply grateful to have been with him yesterday.”
Former coach Dave Odom also highlighted his character. “It is easy to focus on his extraordinary talent, but what stood out to those who knew him was that he was equally extraordinary as a human being,” he said. “Every time we visited him, he came out reminding me never to complain — because he never did. He faced life as it came and took advantage of every moment.”
Rodney Rogers passes away leaving a sporting and human legacy, as well as a family that includes his wife, Faye; his daughters Roddreka and Rydiah; his sons Rodney II and Devonte; his mother, Estelle Spencer; and Eric Hipilito, whom he considered a son.
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