Overview
- His sister posted a family confirmation on November 3 that Taurian Fontenette had died at 43, and local authorities reported no additional details as the family asked for privacy.
- Fontenette rose from Hitchcock High School to college programs at UTEP, Richland and Paul Quinn before earning a spot on the AND1 Mixtape Tour after a 2005 tryout while he was working security.
- He completed the first widely documented in-game 720-degree dunk during a 2006 AND1 stop at Houston’s Toyota Center, a moment that earned him the nickname “Mr. 720” and SportsCenter Top 10 exposure.
- Beyond the 720, his signature 360 between-the-legs move known as the 'Axle-Rider' influenced later NBA dunkers and earned praise from peers who called him a founder of the professional dunk movement.
- Coverage so far centers on tributes and retrospectives from friends and the dunking community while reporters await any formal statement on cause of death or further details from officials.