Former NBA player Darius Morris and NBA Hall of Famer Bill Walton have both passed away.
Darius Morris, a former NBA player who started a playoff game for the Los Angeles Lakers and played for four other NBA teams, has died at the age of 33. His body was found in the Los Angeles area on Thursday. The cause of his death has not been disclosed. Morris was a second-round pick of the Lakers in the 2011 draft and played in 132 career games with the Lakers and four other teams in four NBA seasons. He also played professionally in China and France. The Lakers expressed their heartbreak over Morris' passing. Morris played for the University of Michigan from 2009-2011 and is one of five players in school history to have more than 200 assists in a season. He averaged 3.3 points, 1 rebound, and 1.4 assists per game during his NBA career. His best season was the 2012-13 campaign with the Lakers, where he averaged 4.0 points, 1.2 rebounds, and 1.6 assists per game. Morris played seven seasons in the G League and last played for BCM Gravelines-Dunkerque in France. No information on survivors was immediately available. [baa1ae47] [10898e2a]
Bill Walton, a two-time NBA champion and member of the basketball Hall of Fame, died at the age of 71. Walton had a prolonged battle with cancer. He rose to stardom in college as part of the University of California, Los Angeles dynasty, winning NCAA championships in 1972 and 1973. He led the Portland Trail Blazers to the championship in the 1976-77 season and was named Most Valuable Player the following year. Walton's career was plagued by injuries, including a bicycle accident, and he later became a whimsical broadcaster known for his insightful and colorful commentary. He was also an avid fan of the Grateful Dead. [f35acbbf]