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.
@@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.
@@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.
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 🏀💯🫡👊❗️
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.
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.
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.
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...
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.
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).
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.
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,.
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
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.
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.
Rudy LaRusso's image has become Rudy Tomjanovich It's a big mistake Rudy Tomjanovich is still alive Not only the person himself, but also his relatives and relatives will think that it is unreasonable. It should be corrected immediately
When I think of all of these great basketball players who we lost along the way it makes you appreciate life ,every single day of our lives .And we as people should never take life for granted and this is why I wished all young people who ever watch this video will wake up ! all because Youngin’s of today don’t even lives past the age of 15 years of age and that’s really sad .May them all RIP 🥲🥲🥲😢😢
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. 🙏🏾
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.
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.
Yes, in the 1987 Finals the C's had Kevin McHale with a fractured bone in his foot, DJ and Parrish limping around, Walton missed almost the whole season, and Len Bias was in his grave. That team would have DESTROYED the Lakers if they were healthy.
God bless you, Red Kerr. Miss you every day. I am sure there is an amazing game going on upstairs and that you are part of it. Don't let Havlicek steal the ball this time.
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.
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
Kobe Bryant's father Joe Bryant passed away recently. RIP Kobe and Joe Bryant...
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"?
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
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
R.I.P to everyone who died ,God bless they family
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 🏀💯🫡👊❗️
How about Joe Bryant? The Father of Kobe Bryant died recently
I hope that guy made it to heaven
He wasn’t famous
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.
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
Bill Russell, KC Jones, and Sam Jones all passed away at the same age back to back to back years.
Didn't see Flip Saunders on the list. RIP
R.i.p the goats 🐐🐐 Kobe, Bill Russ,jerry West, Elgin Baylor 🐐🐐🐐🐐 🙏🙏
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!
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.
😎 You got pictures mixd up on player's!!!
He Doesn't Give A F***
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
Felton Spencer, former UofL, Utah Jazz player 1968-2023
Many familiar faces in the row! RIPP guys! You all played your parts. Thanks for the memory!
Al Attles went home today...RIP Tuff Guy
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
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.
From this list, I had the pleasure of meeting Walt Bellamy, Caldwell Jones, and Dan Roundfield...🙏🏽🕊
Daryl Dawkins always destroyed the board when he dunked the ball.
Still can't believe Kobe
At least he got that one right. 😂
❤miss that guy
Same here doesn't seem real
Helluva run gentlemen, helluva run. Thanks for the memories.
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...
This is impressive, thanks for making this video.
Now im Depressed.. I got to stop watching these. Thankyou All for the Wonderful Memories🙏🏾😪
Those were some great guys that will always Legendary 👑👑🙏🏿🙏🏿🌎
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
1:12 thats not bobby phills thats adrien payne
RIP... My Ballers 4 Life. ... ♥
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. 🤮
I grew up watching many of them play and coach.
All are the greatest players and coaches thanks 😊
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).
🙏 🏀 😔 Sad , all the memories never erase
R.I.P to everyone that died 🕊️🪦
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.
All of these men were great 👍
BILL WALTON 😢 🕊️
I didn't know he had passed away
Right after my mom this year , him and jerry west ,
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 “
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,.
R.I.P. to all these men. Happy to say that Bob Cousy is still with us at 96!
To see Kobe on the list is just crazy
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
Hank Gathers wasn't in the NBA probably would have if he were alive
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.
Leroy Ellis, Slick Watts, Leonard Gray, I believe have passed RIP.
And recently Joe " Jelly Bean" Bryant. Kobe's father.
Rest in Paradise too all of them that ♥️ the game of a 🏀 !!!
And we as fans enjoyed watching you play the game you ❤!!!
I’m glad you corrected some of those pictures cuz cuz a lot didn’t look like some the pictures you say they were
Kobe hits hard. ❤❤❤❤❤
Still does.😢😢😢
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.
They just skipped right over Kobe's father. He just passed away last month. They could honor him?
Never heard of most of these players. Couldn't have been that famous. RIP.
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.
Almost cried seeing Rasual Butler up there man. Philly’s finest 🙏🏾
America they may be gone, but they never will be forgotten
So many great athletes. Its like they played their hearts out and didn't have anything left for old age.
Rudy LaRusso's image has become Rudy Tomjanovich
It's a big mistake
Rudy Tomjanovich is still alive
Not only the person himself, but also his relatives and relatives will think that it is unreasonable.
It should be corrected immediately
When I think of all of these great basketball players who we lost along the way it makes you appreciate life ,every single day of our lives .And we as people should never take life for granted and this is why I wished all young people who ever watch this video will wake up ! all because Youngin’s of today don’t even lives past the age of 15 years of age and that’s really sad .May them all RIP 🥲🥲🥲😢😢
Adreian Payne and Yinka Dare, wrong pictures 😂
Fred Neal Is too young he born 1942 but he died 202
The photo you have for Quintin Dailey is incorrect ! Also the photo of Moses Malone is isn't Moses ?
🗣️ C'mon Man 🌷👥
Rest in Peace to all of them and those who have left us more recently 🤲🏻❤️
And Bob Cousy who is still alive at 96 years old! Long Life Bob 🙏
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. 🙏🏾
Joe Fulks 1921-1976
NBA's first leading scorer
He scored 63 points in an era without shot clock rules.
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
You have Bobby Phills and Alfonso Ford mixed up
Time is really the master stay in peace in the name of the lord respect
Rest in peace Randy Smith he was a great player with the Buffalo braves
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
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.
Great video , however you have at least 5 people with the wrong picture.
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.
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.
So many more that could have played in the NBA but were forgotten.
Thanks for the information. I didn't notice in 2024 jerry west pass away..
Wow a lot of very young players passed away. That is sad
Is that a picture of Rudy Tomjanovich above the name of Rudy Larusso?
This was very sad to watch. So many died young. And so many of the legendary players are gone. Very sad to see😢😔😑
Please add cause of death next time 😮
Wow! They all were still ,so young😢😮
Rudy Larusso's picture is of Rudy Tomjanovich. Come on. At least get the right picture.
Missed Phil Smith (Golden State).
Wrong pic for Moses Malone.
NBA paradise ❤
Len Bias and Hank Gathers never played in the NBA. Hank died tragically while he was still at Loyola Marymount.
It would have been nice to make sure you had the correct pictures 😢
Len Bias could have been another Jordan. What a shame.
Yes, in the 1987 Finals the C's had Kevin McHale with a fractured bone in his foot, DJ and Parrish limping around, Walton missed almost the whole season, and Len Bias was in his grave. That team would have DESTROYED the Lakers if they were healthy.
@@jamespenny9482 They would have 70 that season
Can you include the cause of death?
I thought "Yinka Dare" was a TH-camr or video editor. But I can't believe he was a basketball player. It's shocking;;
Fernando Martín (1962-1989), first Spanish born player in the NBA (Portland Trail Blazers). Died in a car crash in Madrid.
Spanish born? What does that mean ?
What's the doubt? Before him, no person who was born in Spain had ever played in the NBA.
The picture above Moses Malone's name isn't Moses. Nonetheless, this is a nice display and memorial to some great players
God bless you, Red Kerr. Miss you every day. I am sure there is an amazing game going on upstairs and that you are part of it. Don't let Havlicek steal the ball this time.
WOW, I didn't know Orlando Woodridge had passed away........RIP to all 🕊🕊🕊🕊🕊🕊🕊🕊🕊🕊🕊🕊🕊🕊🕊🕊🕊🕊🕊🕊🕊🕊🕊🕊🕊🕊🕊🕊🕊
Yinka Dare’s picture is actually Alfonso Ford’s. Bobby Phil’s pic is a the wrong place too.
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.
RIP to these NBA Legends, especially to Kobe and Bill Russell