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Rodney Rogers, Wake Forest Great and NBA Sixth Man Winner, Dies at 54

His family says he passed from natural causes linked to the spinal cord injury he suffered in a 2008 ATV crash.

Overview

  • Rogers died on Nov. 21, 2025, with Wake Forest, the NBA and the NBPA confirming his passing and the cause tied to his prior spinal injury.
  • He played 12 NBA seasons for seven teams after being drafted No. 9 in 1993, winning Sixth Man of the Year with the Phoenix Suns in 1999–2000.
  • At Wake Forest, he earned ACC Rookie of the Year in 1991 and ACC Player of the Year in 1993, and the school has retired his No. 54.
  • He was paralyzed from the shoulders down after a 2008 ATV/dirt-bike crash in North Carolina and later founded the Rodney Rogers Foundation to support people with spinal injuries.
  • He is survived by his wife, Faye; daughters Roddreka and Rydiah; sons Rodney II and Devonte; his mother, Estelle Spencer; and Eric Hipilito, whom he embraced as a son.