It came as a shock to many. I’m heartbroken,” says Mark Cuban (#13 FCIR), owner of the Mavericks. “I literally just talked to him two weeks ago. He was such a good guy.
When I heard about it, it was shocking because he used to always get out there and play and shoot with us, says Ish Smith (#13). He’d always say, This is what a real shooting four is. And he could stroke it.
A few weeks ago saw the death of former NBA player Sean Rooks, the talented and competitive #6 BEIR who was coordinated as a big man. It was only hours after interviewing for an assistant-coaching job with the New York Knicks (meeting with #8 BEIL Jeff Hornacek and #16 BCIL Phil Jackson) that Rooks suddenly collapsed and died in a Philadelphia restaurant, according to reports. He was only 46 years old.
Off the court, Rooks was no mean and gritty #6, like some in the sports world. Rather, he was considered “a warm and engaging gentleman within the basketball community.” Smith went on to say, “He was always caring. He loved his children … he was always, always challenging me to get those guys (players) going and keep them happy. If I keep them happy then they’re going to set screens for me, they’re going to rebound, they’re going to run the floor, they’re going to do everything it takes for our team to be successful.”
Yes, it certainly seems the #6 Rooks learned the art of tact and friendship to make for a better basketball team. He will be missed by many.
Written by: Staff
(click for source)
———————————
I remember him, particularly early in his career with Dallas, and then later with the Clippers. He was a very tactically smart player. Bill Walton often used to say, “where would the Clippers be without Sean Rooks?” He may not have had as much natural athleticism or big stats as some #6 types, but he still made an impact.
Incidentally, another bball #6 passed recently…Pat Summit. Maybe an article on her upcoming, and/or some thoughts on the Cavaliers great championship comeback?