Rodney Rogers, a legend of the Wake Forest men’s basketball program and former NBA Sixth Player of the Year, has died, the school announced Saturday. He was 54.
Rogers played for the Demon Deacons from 1990-93, sparking one of the best eras in the program’s history. His No. 54 jersey was retired in 1996, just three years after he left the school.
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Rogers died Friday, per the school. He is survived by his wife, Faye, and three children. His two daughters, Roddreka and Rydeiah, both played basketball in college; Roddreka is now an assistant coach at Georgia State.
Former Wake Forest coach Dave Odom, who led the school to seven straight NCAA tournament appearances, including during Rogers’ tenure, praised Rogers’ character in the school’s statement.
“Rodney is truly one of the greatest athletes to ever play in the Atlantic Coast Conference — without reservation. You can place him alongside the very best our league has ever seen,” Odom wrote. “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. 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. He shared his strength, his spirit and his life with everyone around him.”
Born in nearby Durham, North Carolina, Rogers made an immediate impact at Wake Forest, earning ACC Freshman of the Year in 1991 and landing on the All-ACC Second Team. Rogers went on to earn First Team honors in 1992 and 1993, and was named ACC Player of the Year in 1993.
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The “Durham Bull,” as he was called — a reference to his hometown — led Wake Forest to the NCAA tournament three times, including a Sweet 16 appearance in his final year.
Per the school, he is the only Demon Deacon to earn ACC Freshman of the Year and ACC Player of the Year honors, and one of only seven players in ACC history to achieve the feat.
Former Wake Forest forward Rodney Rogers had his No. 54 jersey retired by the school in 1996. (Getty Images)
(Phil Sears via Getty Images)
The forward was selected ninth overall in the 1993 NBA Draft, becoming the highest drafted Demon Deacon in 30 years. He played for seven NBA teams in his career, winning NBA Sixth Man of the Year in 2000 while with the Phoenix Suns.
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In 2008, Rogers was paralyzed from the shoulders down in an ATV accident. His injury led him to found the Rodney Rogers Foundation, which assists people with spinal cord injuries and promotes resilience, per the school.
Rogers was honored as a distinguished alumni of Wake Forest in 2022 and received an honorary doctorate from the school during the ceremony.
