I was going to say the same thing. I had the pleasure of playing against Rudy LaRusso at in a league I think was the precursor to the summer pro-league in LA. He hit me with an elbow to my chest . Kind of shook me up but I was just so excited to be playing against him that it didn’t bother me that much. I was 22 he was about 36-37 in 1972.
@@keithratajczyk5068 He was gonna be the best shooter on the floor no matter where he played. Even Reggie said as much. He would average 25+ with ease today.
@@westies1962 Loved his epic battles with Dave Debusschere in a much more physical era of the NBA in the early 70's. They pushed, shoved and grabbed each other. I went to a Knicks v Bullets game in NY in 1972 (I think). Knicks won, but Johnson hauled down I believe 36 rebounds. He was relentless.
Wow, the irony. I just realized that Darryl Dawkins and Maurice Lucas are side by side. They once had a famous confrontation in Game 2, of the 1977 NBA Finals, between the Portland Trailblazers, and the Philadelphia 76'ers, @ The Spectrum in Philadelphia. Many have said that this moment may have swung the momentum of that Finals, as Philadelphia was up 2 - 0 going into Game 3. Portland went on to win the next 4 games in a row to win the 1977 NBA Championship, and the altercation may have fueled their surge...
Shawn C.T, Man, that's an excellent point! I'm sure the altercation did put a wedge in Philly's momentum. Dawkins back then was the Shaquille O'Neal of the league. Maurice Lucas showed, he didn't fear ANYONE! The altercation plus Gene Shue's lousy coaching, along with to many one on one stars, Free, McGinnis, Collins all out there, running wild like they were playing in a summer league! No plays, no sets, Nothin! Just one on one practically every trip down floor. 😤 They coasted through the regular season playing that way, Yeah, but Portland was a different animal all those years ago. After that altercation, Jack Ramsey and Bill Walton, picked them apart! I must say, "That Was Also When Doc Was In His Prime, and had two of the most thunderous electrifying Dunks I had ever seen in my life!!! One over Bob Gross, and the other over Bill Walton! They both were unforgettably miraculous 🏀💯🫡👊❗️
RIP...this is a unique tribute that transports me back to a moment some six decades ago, when I sat in a local gym flipping through a stack of BB playing cards.
At 72, this walk down memory lane is amazing. I just reflected back to some of the phenomenal games and players these eyes have seen. Treasured Memories!
Moses Malone did die at 60 but that is a picture of George McGinnis,who deserves his own listing. And "Rudy LaRusso", who did die at 66 is a picture of Rudy Tomjanivich, who is still alive.
So many unsung legends in this video, and you choose to single out the only one who already gets more praise than he deserved. You disgust me on several different levels.
Salute to you for having Maurice Stokes in your display. Amazing player. Relentless. Had he not passed early he'd be in the discussion for one of the best at his position.
The picture of Moses Malone, who passed is actually a photo of my favorite all-time player George McGinnis who passed in 2023 at 73 years of age. RIP Big Mac,.
My favorite is Sterling Baylor. He was so UNDERRATED! He could play at every position & doing do it like a Super Star and had a job as a soldier in the army! I thought he was a Powerful strong player with Michael Jordon skill, the strength of Wilt Chamberlain/Shaq & great foot work like "Akeem the Dream & Magic Johnson", cardio, & a pioneer in the early NBA!
Eerily, from the list, the youngest player to have died was a Celtic (Len Bias, at 22), while the oldest were also from the Celtics (Bill Sharman, 87; Bill Russell, K.C. Jones, and Sam Jones at 88).
Malik sealy , bison dele , and Lorenzen wright are all teammates on the 1996 Los Angeles clippers. Rodney rogers is also their teammate, is paralyzed from the neck down. I remember watching them play at the sports arena days . God bless Rodney . I’m always think about you
Ray Williams played for the NY Knicks, he wasn't mentioned in this list. Can't remember his age when he passed away. RIP to all the great players on this list. 🙏🏾
Rudy Tomjanovich is still alive. Also, you mixed the pics of Bobby Phills, Yinka Dare, and Adrien Payne....and I don't know who it was, but that wasn't Moses Malone.
There are many great basketball players, both past and present. As for me, the "smoothest" movements of Bill Russell were the best to watch. He made it t all look easy. No muscling, no "traveling", just constant movement with scoring, rebounding, or passing. Today's greats make it look like more of a rugby match compared to the athleticism of Mr Russell. Gennaro Pupa
Please put the right picture with the right face. That's responsible journalism. If not sure do the research before going ahead with an erroneous presentation.
More than half of the players on this list I hardly even know they existed. Instead of famous NBA players who have died, I would have titled the video NBA players who died....Simple, and straight to the point.
Wtf, Duckworth, Tisdale, Lorenzen Wright, etc. All those players born in the 60s and 70s i remember from the 90s NBA and never knew they passed away. 😢 As someone born in the 80s they were among people that i admired as a kid, back in the 90s. Most of these "famous" deaths i knew very well about of course, like Kobe, Pistol Pete, Dražen Petrović, Bill Russel, Wilt Chamberlain, Jerry West and similar, but some of these "less famous" names REALLY shocked me. Hey those are the dudes whose highlights i watched in the 90s...😢😢😢😢 That hit different.
As noted by others that’s not Rudy Larusso it’s Rudy Tomjanovich,Darryl Dawkins and Naurice Lucas both dying at 58. They squared off against each other in the 1977 finals. Randy Smith broke Johnny Red Kerrs consecutive game streak ,subsequently broken by AC Green. When the Buffalo Braves moved to San Diego and became the Clippers Randy Smith started at one guard PPG Average23- in 1978-79 and Gene Shue the coach told the GM to trade for World BFree from Philadelphia. World B averaged 28 PPG1978-79 and then 30. 179-80. Smith was traded to Cleveland for draft picks. And when Paul Silas replaced Gene Shue World B was traded for Warriors guard Phil Smith. World B would go on to score another14-000 points while Phil Smith was waived after only one year. Still for one year 1978-79 The clippers had at guard 1-4 Wirld B ,Randy Smith, Freeman Williams, Brian Taylor. Very potent offense.
SAD FACT: Death took both former Chicago Bulls player and broadcaster Norm Van Leir and first coach of the Chicago Bulls and Commentator Johnny "Red" Kerr on the same day in 2009.
Maurice snuck him from behind. Darryl would have killed him. Dawkins was pissed his teammates didn't back him up and he was emotionally out of the games for the rest of the series. The Sixers were up 2-0 and lost the series 4-2.
I realize this is an odd take, but seeing Meadowlark Lemon got me thinking...would the NBA have survived the 70's to get to the Magic and Bird era, without the Globetrotters? As a kid in that time, they were the team we all watched. Until the 80's anyway. And Dr. J., who was ABA anyway. Not that there wasn't some great NBA ball, but it was not a popular sport...
The last 4 people shown were former Boston Celtic greats in the 1960s, and all in the Basketball Hall of fame- Bill Sharman, Bill Russell, Sam Jones, and KC Jones.
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To all the NBA players that went home God Bless 🙏 to all of them and there families and friends rest in peace 😊❤
you don't go straight to heaven when you die, everyone ever is asleep in the the grave awaiting judgement day
To see Kobe on the list is just crazy
Yeah its look irreal
The picture of Rudy Larusso is actually Rudy Tomjanovich and the picture of Moses Malone is actually George McGinnis.
And that's NOT Wes Unseld, hard telling how many are wrong.
Quintin Dailey is Wendell Carter Jr.
I was like wait a minute that is Rudy T.
I was going to say the same thing. I had the pleasure of playing against Rudy LaRusso at in a league I think was the precursor to the summer pro-league in LA. He hit me with an elbow to my chest
. Kind of shook me up but I was just so excited to be playing against him that it didn’t bother me that much. I was 22 he was about 36-37 in 1972.
@@nebur59 Cool story. He was solid player. I remember him from my childhood. Wasn't his nickname "Roughhouse Rudy"?
Kobe Bryant's father Joe Bryant passed away recently. RIP Kobe and Joe Bryant...
No don't say that don't you wat Kobe did years ago? It was horrible
@@Cancercaillouwhat did he do
@@Digby. He graped a teenager years and years ago
@@Cancercaillou Provide credible, substantiated, and verified evidence for this claim or it is only conjecture or speculation.
@@DoctoratePhD search it on google
Bill Russell, KC Jones, and Sam Jones all passed away at the same age back to back to back years.
And all of them were the Lakers tormentors…. man I hated watching all those Chip’s being won by the Celtics.
R.I.P to everyone who died ,God bless their family
*their
@ltwadley7619 thanks
R.i.p the goats 🐐🐐 Kobe, Bill Russ,jerry West, Elgin Baylor 🐐🐐🐐🐐 🙏🙏
Jerome Kersey, Kevin Duckworrh and Cliff Robinson? That early 90s Trail Blazers squad was serious
Yes they were! Serious contenders! But unfortunately for them, my Lakers ruled the West. 👉🏾🏀👈🏾 🔥🔥🔥
Unfortunately for them lose the final to the Detroit pistons because Vinnie Johnson, microwave.
Imagine if Drazen Petrovic had lived long enough to play alongside them for many years instead of his brief tenure in Portland
@@keithratajczyk5068 He was gonna be the best shooter on the floor no matter where he played. Even Reggie said as much. He would average 25+ with ease today.
I was just thinking that... Almost the whole starting five with Clyde and Terry
RIP Dekembe Mutombo, 58.
A few others that come to mind are Knicks guard Ray Williams 58, Roy Tarpley 50, Gus Johnson 48, all RIP
I was thinking of Gus Johnson!
@@westies1962 Loved his epic battles with Dave Debusschere in a much more physical era of the NBA in the early 70's. They pushed, shoved and grabbed each other. I went to a Knicks v Bullets game in NY in 1972 (I think). Knicks won, but Johnson hauled down I believe 36 rebounds. He was relentless.
Derek Smith passed also
Mel Turpin, 49.
Helluva run gentlemen, helluva run. Thanks for the memories.
Al Attles went home today...RIP Tuff Guy
Wow, the irony. I just realized that Darryl Dawkins and Maurice Lucas are side by side.
They once had a famous confrontation in Game 2, of the 1977 NBA Finals, between the Portland Trailblazers, and the Philadelphia 76'ers, @ The Spectrum in Philadelphia.
Many have said that this moment may have swung the momentum of that Finals, as Philadelphia was up 2 - 0 going into Game 3.
Portland went on to win the next 4 games in a row to win the 1977 NBA Championship, and the altercation may have fueled their surge...
I remember that photo
Shawn C.T,
Man, that's an excellent point!
I'm sure the altercation did put a wedge in Philly's momentum. Dawkins back then was the Shaquille O'Neal of the league. Maurice Lucas showed, he didn't fear ANYONE!
The altercation plus Gene Shue's lousy coaching, along with to many one on one stars, Free, McGinnis, Collins all out there, running wild like they were playing in a summer league! No plays, no sets, Nothin! Just one on one practically every trip down floor. 😤
They coasted through the regular season playing that way, Yeah, but Portland was a different animal all those years ago.
After that altercation, Jack Ramsey and Bill Walton, picked them apart!
I must say, "That Was Also When Doc Was In His Prime, and had two of the most thunderous electrifying Dunks I had ever seen in my life!!!
One over Bob Gross, and the other over Bill Walton!
They both were unforgettably miraculous 🏀💯🫡👊❗️
Kobe hits hard. ❤❤❤❤❤
Still does.😢😢😢
Felton Spencer, former UofL, Utah Jazz player 1968-2023
How about Joe Bryant? The Father of Kobe Bryant died recently
I hope that guy made it to heaven
He wasn’t famous
He didn't play in the nba
@@JohnDoe-gv4fbhe played for the Clippers
@@marcelthomas216I didn’t know that
Even though he didn't even play in the NBA, let's not forget former commissioner David Stern. Or former Pistons coach Chuck Daly.
They're in a different tribute.
OKAY I'LL CHECK BACK DAVID STERN
@@KevinMiller-xn5vu Why remember David Stern he was a crook?
Lets not forget they didn't forget, this is about the players of the game.
And Auerbach
The picture of Rudy Larusso is Rudy Tomjonavich.
Rudy is still alive
Glad someone else caught that!
@@jamesmorton5017 which one Rudys? 😅
You noticed that too
came here to say just that
RIP...this is a unique tribute that transports me back to a moment some six decades ago, when I sat in a local gym flipping through a stack of BB playing cards.
A couple of the guys didn't play in the NBA (Hank Gathers). Honorable mention to Ben Wilson 1967-1984 (17 years old)
Len Bias didn't either. He was drafted by the Celtics, but died before playing a game.
Hank Ganthers would have been in the NBA
😎 You got pictures mixd up on player's!!!
He Doesn't Give A F***
From this list, I had the pleasure of meeting Walt Bellamy, Caldwell Jones, and Dan Roundfield...🙏🏽🕊
RIP... My Ballers 4 Life. ... ♥
Many familiar faces in the row! RIPP guys! You all played your parts. Thanks for the memory!
Still can't believe Kobe
At least he got that one right. 😂
❤miss that guy
Same here doesn't seem real
John Thompson, he may be famous as a college basketball coach but he did play for the Celtics.
I wonder why he’s not on here
At 72, this walk down memory lane is amazing. I just reflected back to some of the phenomenal games and players these eyes have seen. Treasured Memories!
And Bob Cousy who is still alive at 96 years old! Long Life Bob 🙏
Moses Malone did die at 60 but that is a picture of George McGinnis,who deserves his own listing. And "Rudy LaRusso", who did die at 66 is a picture of Rudy Tomjanivich, who is still alive.
Shemp lives!
This is impressive, thanks for making this video.
I grew up watching many of them play and coach.
All of these men were great 👍
We love you Kobe 💜💛💜💛💜💛 Black Mamba 🐍
❤❤❤❤4ever!
So many unsung legends in this video, and you choose to single out the only one who already gets more praise than he deserved. You disgust me on several different levels.
He hurts the most 😢! But he is at peace ✌🏽 with his Gigi! 🙏🏽 RIP Kobe and Gigi
@@ME-kd1ko You disgust me beyond this galaxy. Never ever again talk about the NBA or even humanity. 🤮💩🤡
@@ME-kd1ko You disgust me beyond words. Quit social media, you disgusting. 🤮
Daryl Dawkins always destroyed the board when he dunked the ball.
Those were some great guys that will always Legendary 👑👑🙏🏿🙏🏿🌎
🙏 🏀 😔 Sad , all the memories never erase
Salute to you for having Maurice Stokes in your display. Amazing player. Relentless. Had he not passed early he'd be in the discussion for one of the best at his position.
BILL WALTON 😢 🕊️
I didn't know he had passed away
Right after my mom this year , him and jerry west ,
Almost cried seeing Rasual Butler up there man. Philly’s finest 🙏🏾
The picture of Moses Malone, who passed is actually a photo of my favorite all-time player George McGinnis who passed in 2023 at 73 years of age. RIP Big Mac,.
Now im Depressed.. I got to stop watching these. Thankyou All for the Wonderful Memories🙏🏾😪
Thanks for sharing!
3:26 that ain't Quintin Dailey, that's Wendell Carter Jr 😂😂
I swear 🤣🤣🤣
Lmaooo dawg
I was gon say i know im not trippin some of these are disrespectfully off
Great idea, but many of these pictures are mixed up or flat-out wrong.
Is there another Bobby Phills that died at age 30? Cuz that's not his pic & the Hornets vet died in 2000
And Bobby Phills pic is under Alphonso Ford Smh
My favorite is Sterling Baylor. He was so UNDERRATED! He could play at every position & doing do it like a Super Star and had a job as a soldier in the army! I thought he was a Powerful strong player with Michael Jordon skill, the strength of Wilt Chamberlain/Shaq & great foot work like "Akeem the Dream & Magic Johnson", cardio, & a pioneer in the early NBA!
We miss you Kobe!!!❤❤
I’m glad you corrected some of those pictures cuz cuz a lot didn’t look like some the pictures you say they were
All are the greatest players and coaches thanks 😊
Adreian Payne and Yinka Dare, wrong pictures 😂
They just skipped right over Kobe's father. He just passed away last month. They could honor him?
Not meaning to be disrespectful, but this list (specifically the title) is for FAMOUS NBA players
Eerily, from the list, the youngest player to have died was a Celtic (Len Bias, at 22), while the oldest were also from the Celtics (Bill Sharman, 87; Bill Russell, K.C. Jones, and Sam Jones at 88).
So many great athletes. Its like they played their hearts out and didn't have anything left for old age.
Wow! They all were still ,so young😢😮
Joe Fulks 1921-1976
NBA's first leading scorer
He scored 63 points in an era without shot clock rules.
Kevin Duckworth, Jerome Kersey, and Clifford Robinson played on that Blazers team that went against Bulls in 92 Finals 😢
NBA paradise ❤
Rest in Paradise too all of them that ♥️ the game of a 🏀 !!!
And we as fans enjoyed watching you play the game you ❤!!!
Malik sealy , bison dele , and Lorenzen wright are all teammates on the 1996 Los Angeles clippers. Rodney rogers is also their teammate, is paralyzed from the neck down. I remember watching them play at the sports arena days . God bless Rodney . I’m always think about you
Ray Williams played for the NY Knicks, he wasn't mentioned in this list. Can't remember his age when he passed away.
RIP to all the great players on this list. 🙏🏾
Rudy Tomjanovich is still alive. Also, you mixed the pics of Bobby Phills, Yinka Dare, and Adrien Payne....and I don't know who it was, but that wasn't Moses Malone.
America they may be gone, but they never will be forgotten
Unbelievable many of them I didn’t know the die so sad to know one day we will be in the other side. Thank you so much for this video.
You are a proper ray of sunshine aren't you. I meant clinically depressed ray of sunshine.
Scary that these guys were supposed to be in top physical shape, yet many died so young. Amazing how many didn’t even make it out of their 50s
R.I.P. to all these men. Happy to say that Bob Cousy is still with us at 96!
Hank Gathers wasn't in the NBA probably would have if he were alive
There are many great basketball players, both past and present. As for me, the "smoothest" movements of Bill Russell were the best to watch. He made it t all look easy. No muscling, no "traveling", just constant movement with scoring, rebounding, or passing. Today's greats make it look like more of a rugby match compared to the athleticism of Mr Russell. Gennaro Pupa
This was very sad to watch. So many died young. And so many of the legendary players are gone. Very sad to see😢😔😑
NBA player deaths, but they get increasingly older.
So many more that could have played in the NBA but were forgotten.
Please put the right picture with the right face. That's responsible journalism. If not sure do the research before going ahead with an erroneous presentation.
Moses Malone, looks like George McGinnis. 2 Great 6ers... Except Moses got the job done. 1983 World Champs.
Leroy Ellis, Slick Watts, Leonard Gray, I believe have passed RIP.
And recently Joe " Jelly Bean" Bryant. Kobe's father.
More than half of the players on this list I hardly even know they existed. Instead of famous NBA players who have died, I would have titled the video NBA players who died....Simple, and straight to the point.
Time is really the master stay in peace in the name of the lord respect
I think its a damn shame getting these names wrong on some of these players.
This happens all the time on RUclips.... It's not rocket science...If you're gonna make a video do it right.....
Honestly all these are sad, but dang, Kobe is sad to see
RIP to these former players, a lot of players I watched and played as in videos games passed and I didn’t know.
Thanks for the information. I didn't notice in 2024 jerry west pass away..
Ruddy Larusso? That's Rudy Tomjanovich. Isn't it. @5:08
Yeah he got the wrong Rudy.
You're correct
Not Moses Malone's picture either
Ok I was about to say “ never underestimate the heart of a champion “
3:38 he isn’t dead that’s Carter, played for Duke and now on the Orlando Magic, check pictures and facts before you putting people in the ground.
I’m a Bulls fan and noticed that....
Wtf, Duckworth, Tisdale, Lorenzen Wright, etc. All those players born in the 60s and 70s i remember from the 90s NBA and never knew they passed away. 😢 As someone born in the 80s they were among people that i admired as a kid, back in the 90s.
Most of these "famous" deaths i knew very well about of course, like Kobe, Pistol Pete, Dražen Petrović, Bill Russel, Wilt Chamberlain, Jerry West and similar, but some of these "less famous" names REALLY shocked me. Hey those are the dudes whose highlights i watched in the 90s...😢😢😢😢 That hit different.
As noted by others that’s not Rudy Larusso it’s Rudy Tomjanovich,Darryl Dawkins and Naurice Lucas both dying at 58. They squared off against each other in the 1977 finals. Randy Smith broke Johnny Red Kerrs consecutive game streak ,subsequently broken by AC Green. When the Buffalo Braves moved to San Diego and became the Clippers Randy Smith started at one guard PPG Average23- in 1978-79 and Gene Shue the coach told the GM to trade for World BFree from Philadelphia. World B averaged 28 PPG1978-79 and then 30. 179-80. Smith was traded to Cleveland for draft picks. And when Paul Silas replaced Gene Shue World B was traded for Warriors guard Phil Smith. World B would go on to score another14-000 points while Phil Smith was waived after only one year. Still for one year 1978-79 The clippers had at guard 1-4 Wirld B ,Randy Smith, Freeman Williams, Brian Taylor. Very potent offense.
R.I.P. NBA's Finest!!
SAD FACT:
Death took both former Chicago Bulls player and broadcaster Norm Van Leir and first coach of the Chicago Bulls and Commentator Johnny "Red" Kerr on the same day in 2009.
It's something that after Darryl Dawkins came Maurice Lucas as those two enforcers went toe to toe in one epic NBA brawl!
Maurice snuck him from behind. Darryl would have killed him. Dawkins was pissed his teammates didn't back him up and he was emotionally out of the games for the rest of the series. The Sixers were up 2-0 and lost the series 4-2.
Great video , however you have at least 5 people with the wrong picture.
Wow a lot of very young players passed away. That is sad
Never heard of most of these players. Couldn't have been that famous. RIP.
🏀 GOD BLESS 'EM ALL 😢
You've got 3 wrong pictures, that i recognize. Hard telling how many others are wrong too.
Not only that, but the first one on his list ,Len Bias, never played in the NBA.
He was drafted, so technically he is a nba player@@papadavewatson
RIP to these NBA Legends, especially to Kobe and Bill Russell
WOW, I didn't know Orlando Woodridge had passed away........RIP to all 🕊🕊🕊🕊🕊🕊🕊🕊🕊🕊🕊🕊🕊🕊🕊🕊🕊🕊🕊🕊🕊🕊🕊🕊🕊🕊🕊🕊🕊
R.I.P to everyone that died 🕊️🪦
Wow in the Industry they die young sad thing 😢
Rest in Peace to all of them and those who have left us more recently 🤲🏻❤️
Rest in Peace ❤
3:30 age 49, is that Wendell carter Jr?
Yes
I only know Jerry West, Chamberlain, Bill Russell and Kobe.
He was my whole child hood
I realize this is an odd take, but seeing Meadowlark Lemon got me thinking...would the NBA have survived the 70's to get to the Magic and Bird era, without the Globetrotters? As a kid in that time, they were the team we all watched. Until the 80's anyway. And Dr. J., who was ABA anyway. Not that there wasn't some great NBA ball, but it was not a popular sport...
The last 4 people shown were former Boston Celtic greats in the 1960s, and all in the Basketball Hall of fame- Bill Sharman, Bill Russell, Sam Jones, and KC Jones.