Former Arizona Wildcats big man Sean Rooks, 46, dies
Arizona lost one of its best-ever low-post scorers — and a well-liked anchor of Lute Olson’s early Arizona basketball teams — when Sean Rooks died suddenly Tuesday in Philadelphia.
Rooks, 46, collapsed and died in a Philadelphia restaurant just hours after interviewing for an assistant coaching job with the New York Knicks, according to Yahoo Sports. He had been a player development coach for the Philadelphia 76ers the past two seasons.
No detail has been available yet on the cause of death.
“This is just a horrible shock,” Olson said in a UA statement. “Sean was such a wonderful young man with a great disposition. During his time at Arizona, he was always one of the most pleasant individuals to be around. His positivity was something I’ll always remember. This is a tough day and a terrible loss for Arizona basketball. We send our condolences to Sean’s family and friends.”
Rooks’ mother, Deborah Brown, said in a statement published by the Philadelphia Inquirer that “it is with deep sadness and overwhelming grief that we mourn the sudden loss of my son, Sean. Our family asks that our privacy be respected as we grieve during this incredibly difficult time.”
The news was difficult for the entire Arizona basketball fraternity to hear about Rooks, an All-Pac-10 pick in 1992 known as “Wookie.”
Many former Wildcats, both those who played with Rooks and after him, poured out tributes and wishes via Twitter.
“Man, I’m hurting right now,” said Miles Simon, who landed at UA three years after Rooks left. “I can’t believe it. He watched out for me. Great person and father. Gone too soon.”
Pac-12 Networks analyst Matt Muehlebach, who played alongside Rooks for his entire four year career at Arizona, said he was “totally heartbroken” by the news. Former UA publicist Tom Duddleston expressed similar sentiment.
“Sickened that Sean Rooks has died,” Duddleston tweeted. “Did as much as any Cat to make Arizona Basketball relevant. @aplayersprogram (UA basketball’s Twitter handle) refers to guys like him.”
Rooks’ death came just after his coaching career had started to rise in the NBA, where he played for 12 years after his 1988-92 Arizona career.
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