Former NBA Player Rodney Rogers Dies at 54

Rodney Rogers, a standout former NBA player and Wake Forest University basketball legend, died on Friday at age 54, university officials announced the following day. The 6-foot-7 forward, paralyzed from the shoulders down since a 2008 all-terrain vehicle accident, passed away from natural causes related to his spinal cord injury, according to a family statement.

Rogers' death came after years of health challenges compounded by complications from pneumonia, which proved overwhelming given his condition. He died peacefully at home in Durham, North Carolina, surrounded by family. His wife, Faye Rogers, who supported him through his recovery and advocacy work, shared that the past 17 years had been "both challenging and profoundly blessed," adding that Rogers remained "positive, motivated, and full of the quiet strength that inspired everyone around him."

Born and raised in Durham, Rogers earned the nickname "Durham Bull" during his high school days at Hillside High School, where he was named North Carolina's player of the year in 1990 and averaged 28 points and 12 rebounds as a senior. He committed to Wake Forest in 1989, revitalizing a program that had not reached the NCAA...