The world lost another member of the Denver Nuggets’ beloved 1993-94 team on Friday; Rodney Rogers died at age 54.
Last year, the star of that group, Dikembe Mutombo, passed at 58. Now, Rogers moves on after a very hard life filled with tragedy and personal struggles. Rogers dealt with early death and debilitating injuries to both his parents and after his playing days in 2008, he suffered a life-altering accident that left him paralyzed from the shoulders down.
Rogers was the ninth pick in the 1993 NBA Draft by the Nuggets and spent the first two of his 12 pro years in Denver. He scored 10 points a contest over 159 game for the Nuggets and was big-time as a rookie when the team became the first eight seed to upset a top seed in the NBA playoffs — one of the most famed moments in team histroy.
Rogers was a show-stopping dunker with plenty of highlights but his Nuggets momnets that will live on is when he scored nine points in nine seconds.
RIP to Nuggets legend Rodney Rogers. Man. His dunk against the Spurs in the Playoffs is an all-timer. But he will be always known as the 9 points in 8 seconds guy which produced one of @ballhog44‘s best call’s https://t.co/rDNNXpKAfH
— Jeff Morton (@jmorton78) November 22, 2025
Rogers was the 1999-2000 Sixth Man of the Year and played for six diffrent teams outside of Denver, incluing a late career trip with the Nets to the NBA Finals.
— Denver Nuggets (@nuggets) November 22, 2025
Rogers’ ATV accident led to the establishment of the Rodney Rogers Foundation, where he encouraged individuals living with spinal cord injuries and used his platform to promote resilience and personal growth.
“It’s easy to focus on his extraordinary talent, but what stood out to everyone who knew him was that he was every bit as remarkable as a human being,” former Wake Forest head coach Dave Odom said in a news release. “He loved his teammates, he loved his family, he loved Wake Forest and he loved the game of basketball. He loved playing for Wake Forest. Every time we visited him, I walked away reminding myself never to complain — because he never did. He faced life exactly as it came and made the very best of every moment. He was a joy to watch as a basketball player, but he was an even greater man.
Rogers will be remebered for his highs in the NBA, his compasion and a person and for the family he leaves behind.
“He shared his strength, his spirit and his life with everyone around him,” Odom said.
