A member of the Nets family has passed away.
On November 22, it was announced that former New Jersey Net and Wake Forest legend, Rodney Rogers, passed away at the age of 54.
Although Rodney was only in New Jersey for two seasons, he was a critical part of the team that made it to the NBA Finals
in 2003 and the Conference Semifinals in 2004. Scoring in that era of the NBA was harder to come by, but Rogers provided good scoring punch off the bench and made one of the biggest shots in team history against the Milwaukee Bucks in the 2003 playoffs
Rogers was a solid pro everywhere he went. He was drafted by the Denver Nuggets in 1993 and helped Dikembe Mutombo, Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf and the rest of the team take down the mighty Seattle Supersonics in a shocking upset in 1994.
After a stint with the Los Angeles Clippers in the mid 90s, he found his most individual success. He won Sixth Man of the Year with the Phoenix Suns in 2000 and developed a level of chemistry with Jason Kidd that would continue to blossom when they reunited with the Nets. He ended his NBA career with the Philadelphia 76ers, where he left a lasting impression on young players such as Andre Iguodala.
His life permanently changed in 2008 when he became paralyzed following a biking accident. However, his kindness and care shined through even through those challenging circumstances.
“The last 18 years have been both challenging and profoundly blessed,” Rodney’s wife Faye said in a statement. “Through every moment, Rodney remained a light — positive, motivated and full of the quiet strength that inspired everyone around him. Our family would also like to express our deep gratitude for the unwavering support from our Wake Forest and NBA families over the years. Your care, presence and kindness carried us more than you know.”
Condolences to Rodney’s loved ones.
