bobby phills accident

On the first anniversary of the accident, Wesley buried a deep 3-pointer with 3.5 seconds remaining to lift Charlotte to an 86-85 win over the Bulls. Bobby and Kendall Phills had two children, both of whom went on to play college basketball. He had it all.. past, according to The Charlotte Observer. His teammate Derrick Coleman, driving the sport utility vehicle in which Recasner was a passenger, was arrested on a drunken driving charge. guard or small forward for the Hornets, and sometimes played as a Bobby Phills had always wanted to be an All-Star, she said. In October 1997, he was charged with driving It was just a typical day. He touched all of our lives, said Bob Bass, the Hornets executive vice president of basketball operations. He also started the Bobby Phills Educational Foundation, holding camps in Baton Rouge each summer for children who were taught how to balance education with athletics. He got into a car with the Hornets coaching staff and made the short drive to Tyvola. Some were pushy, and I didnt talk with them. 13 jersey in a halftime ceremony during its game against Memphis on Saturday, Nov. 1. He advised Phills to pursue professional basketball for a couple of years, and if it didnt work out, to return to school. At the time of Phillss accident, Wesley was driving on a suspended license, after he had failed to comply with the terms of a citation he had received several months earlier in Alabama. Silas looked at the wreck and into Phillss car. Florida A&M University. I can't tell you what he meant to the Cavs. The two hit speeds that authorities later estimated topped 100 mph, traveling east on West Tyvola Road. defensive-driving course six days after he was charged, according Wallace mandated that all of his players learn to play in the post. 13 jersey raised again in Charlotte", "Charlotte Hornets re-hang Bobby Phills' jersey Saturday night", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Bobby_Phills&oldid=1124254394, American expatriate basketball people in Spain, Basketball players from Baton Rouge, Louisiana, National Basketball Association players with retired numbers, 20th-century African-American sportspeople, Short description is different from Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 28 November 2022, at 01:52. He was known as a defensive stopper,[2] averaging 1.3 steals per game for his career, and an excellent perimeter shooter, with a 39.0% career three-point shooting percentage. I dont know his face. He chose Yale, where he will begin his freshman year in the fall. Thats all I can remember: Hes dead. Thats about it.. "Not only was Bobby a Not only was Bobby a tremendous person, but a great husband, father and role model that everyone respected and admired. As a Laker fan, I remember him with Cleveland as the defensive stopper. Wesley was twice charged with speeding, according to Mecklenburg Witnesses said teammate David Wesley, driving another car at the scene, also may have been speeding, police spokesman Keith Bridges said. Wesley remained with the franchise when the Hornets moved from Charlotte to New Orleans in 2002. In December 1998, Wesley was charged with driving 79 mph in a The ceremony included a . Wesley was later convicted of reckless driving for his part in the incident. Trey, a 6-foot-1 guard, recently finished his high school career at Charlotte Christian, the same school that produced Steph and Seth Curry. We and our partners use data for Personalised ads and content, ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development. Thats what shooting is all about.. The Nets' Drazen Petrovic died in 1993 and Terry Furlow of the Jazz in 1980, both in car crashes, and the Pistons' Nick Vanos was killed in a plane crash in 1987. What else do you need? Like when Phills and his high school teammates had lifted and moved Wallaces car after a game Wallace suspected a rival team had stolen the vehicle, before realizing his players had pranked him. But him and David Wesley, they were driving at each other, just zooming, Silas said. Young people changed. Phills's death was another in a series of shocks to hit North Carolina sports in recent months. The two other drivers were hospitalized and listed in stable condition. Friends, teammates, and family remember the career, legacy, and tragic death of former Charlotte Hornets guard Bobby Phills. spokesman Keith Bridges said Thursday. [They discussed a] lot of little things that when youre a youngster coming into the league, you dont think about, Miller said. Davis was in his own car when the crash occurred. Bobby Phills we got in an accident. Silas wasnt alarmed at first. The Hornets' guard lost control of his 1997 Porsche 993 Cabriolet and collided head-on with a vehicle heading towards him. The following season, on the morning of Phillss death, Silas fumed at his team. And we only passed maybe one, two cars, before the accident." Phills: But Bobby Phills was driving too fast, and so was David Wesley, and Phills' car crashed, and he died instantly. Now go shoot a thousand shots a day, Jobe said. Through Sunday, every N.B.A. The top 3-point shooter in the nation his senior year at Southern University in Baton Rouge, Phills graduated with a degree in animal science. Phills, a nine-year NBA veteran who spent his final three seasons with the Hornets, was tragically killed in a car accident at age 30 after practice on Jan. 12, 2000. Former Carolina Panthers wide receiver Rae Carruth was charged with killing his girlfriend in November and could be sentenced to die if convicted of murder and conspiracy charges. Trey loved the game, but his mother could see him struggling with his confidence. Phills was killed instantly Wednesday morning when he lost control of his speeding Porsche and it crashed head-on into another vehicle. as spontaneous speed competition," Charlotte-Mecklenburg police I'd throw away all this, I just want my dad back. But you just deal with it and you move on. Those close to Phills never seem to run out of stories about his selflessness. He ran basketball clinics and contributed to Charlotte-area charities. In 1998, he was one of four finalists for the N.B.A. So it didnt matter if he was racing down the street, if he was walking down the street that was his time. Clay Moser, an assistant coach when Phills played for the CBA's Sioux Falls Skyforce, said Phills had wanted to be a veterinarian. The other day, I was filling out this application. Blydenburgh, the crash investigator. to go on to med school like he talked about when he was a kid.". reserve. Nobody was there to validate him, Kendall said. Bobby Ray Phills III, nicknamed Trey, is in his sophomore season playing guard at Yale. Bobby Ray Phills II was born on Dec. 20, 1969, in Baton Rouge, La. According to the NBA, there have been three other active players The fans offered the family an extended ovation. You cant drive that fast. Phills, Silas said, told him it was not a big deal. A minute passed. But Bobby Phills was driving too fast, and so was David Wesley, and Phills' car crashed, and he died instantly. Mike Fratello, the former Cleveland coach, remembered a young, unproven Phills returning to the Cavaliers training camp without a guaranteed contract in the fall of 1992. Like a funeral, Shinn said. rest in one of the opposite lanes. His Porsche veered into oncoming traffic and crashed into two other vehicles. Champions is a 2023 American sports comedy film directed by Bobby Farrelly in his solo directorial debut, from a screenplay written by Mark Rizzo.It is an English-language remake of the 2018 Spanish film of the same name.The film stars Woody Harrelson as a temperamental minor-league basketball coach who after an arrest must coach a team of players with intellectual disabilities as community . On November 1, 2014, the newly renamed team re-honored his jersey; it currently hangs from the rafters of the Spectrum Center.[9][10]. It didnt look like Phills was alive. When he died, Brad Miller and Baron Davis were both beginning their NBA careers, but in opposite ways. Police said the men were racing their Porsches at speeds of morethan 100 mph when Phills crashed. I was on the phone with my wife at the time, and I said, Oh my gosh, Bobby just got in an accident. I turned around. "This is the ultimate tragedy, and our immediate thoughts and The Milwaukee Bucks drafted Phills in the second round of the 1991 draft, but they cut him before the season. And I let him know I was going to take care of his kids.". "Bobby Phills passed away a winner, he stands on the court of champions." On February 9, 2000, in a game against Phills' former team, the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Hornets retired his number 13 . It also altered the lives of many others stillaffected by thetragedyyears later. Hes calling his wife to meet us. I would give scholarships to kids sometimes and I knew they werent going to play, Jobe, now 82, explained. Phills, a 6-foot-5 defensive stopper and a team leader, was one of the Hornets top reserves. Once classified in scouting reports as a ''tweener'' and a long shot from a small school to begin with, he signed a seven-year, $33 million contract with Charlotte in 1997. Obviously, I played against him. He meant a lot to the community. This was the second fatal traffic accident in the past nine months involving a professional athlete from North Carolina, and the second serious traffic accident this season involving Hornets players. For his role in the accident, David Wesley was charged and convicted of reckless driving. "Not only was Bobby a tremendous person, but a great husband, father and role model that everyone respected and admired. The Milwaukee Bucks had pummeled Charlotte by 50 points two days earlier. Phills would sign autographs until his hand hurt. commissioner, called Phills ''one of the most respected members of the N.B.A.''. Bobby Phills Sr. recalled receiving a call from Dwayne. As an assistant, Silas had often run Phills through drills during training sessions. What did I do wrong? Trey and Silas put in hard hours working to improve Treys shot. Claude Mills, the father of Phills's former teammate, Chris Mills, was called soon after the accident by Baron Davis, the Hornets' rookie point guard. Police said he was driving drunk. Phills was killed in a car accident on . "He was such a special person, I worked hard to try to steer He had everything. Even as he made the short trek to the scene, Shinn kept thinking, Maybe I heard him wrong. When Im by myself, thats when I cry. For a rookie like myself, he was the veteran guy that you patterned yourself after. Charlotte Hornet guard Bobby Phills was killed Wednesday when he crashed into a car while speeding after practice, police said. zone on Main Street in Pineville, N.C. Court records show he paid a $25 fine and $86 in court costs. Its not good. Silas thought it over: You know what, Bobby? For years, I tried to get him News reports quoted sources who said Phills might have been racing teammate David Wesley, whose name was included on the accident report because witnesses said he also was speeding when the accident occurred, the Sun-Times reported. To view the purposes they believe they have legitimate interest for, or to object to this data processing use the vendor list link below. We had some great talks and some great times. Wesley testified that Phills, 30, was behind him when in hisrearview mirror he saw his car swerve and collide with anothervehicle. Then a few more. She had this fantastic crush on Bobby, Wallace recalled. CHARLOTTE, N.C.-Bobby Phills of the Charlotte Hornets was killed yesterday when he wrecked his speeding Porsche after a morning practice at the team's arena, police said. averaged 10.9 points, 3.2 rebounds and 2.7 assists for his career. L. E. Blydenburgh, the crash investigator, told The Associated Press. Every day, every night, he told reporters. Every game day, whether on the road or at home at home, its always Original Pancake House. I have to pick my time when I can mourn, she told ESPN as the first anniversary of the accident approached. The Associated Press The police examining the black Porsche driven by Bobby Phills in his fatal car crash Wednesday. After the dawn jog, she came home and took their son to school, where she remained for an hour or so, chatting with other parents. I knew that he had passed away, Silas said. That night, Charlotte was scheduled tohost the Chicago Bulls. Its shocking.. He spent the final years of his career with the Houston Rockets and Cleveland Cavaliers before retiring in 2007, and he now works as a color analyst for the Pelicans. The Hornets brought the franchises history with the team to Phillss native Louisiana, where he never played professionally. Both Phills and Wesley have been charged with speeding in the It was so terrible, and its something Ill never, ever forget.. Flipboard. There was nothing I could do to even try to get out of the way, Woolard recalled. Report Browse more videos Playing next 1:01 Basketball | Golden State Warriors vs Hornets Charlotte While a member of the Charlotte Hornets, Bobby Phills died in a car accident in Charlotte, North Carolina, on 12th January 2000. player to be killed in an accident. Every city the Hornets played in meant Wesley would be asked to recount the tragedy for another local newspapers story about how Wesley and the team were coping with Phillss death. when he lost control of his black Porsche. Bobby Ray Phills II (December 20, 1969 January 12, 2000) was an American professional basketball player. It always seems like something happens to those types of guys, said Chucky Brown, who had played with Phills on the Hornets. She noticed his demeanor on the court pick up shortly thereafter. His community. College of Engineering Sciences, Technology and Agriculture at Ill watch some videotape of Bobby. Cavaliers President Wayne Embry gave Phills his start in the NBA by signing the guard to a 10-day contract. Phills She got in her car. After the New Orleans team re-branded themselves as the New Orleans Pelicans - thereby relinquishing the Hornets name and their previous history in Charlotte - the Bobcats became the Hornets and merged the team's past tenures into a new history for the franchise. Im trying to keep the flesh lovers away from him. That moment that mistake ended Phillss life at 30 years old. Then one day it changed to a place where a life was taken and so many lives were affected because of that one day," Hornets assistant coach Stephen Silas said. Phills died while traveling on Tyvola Road in Charlotte, North Carolina,after driving at a high rate of speed with then-teammate David Wesley. Kendall called Dwayne Phills, who was with his mother, Mary, in Baton Rouge. But I needed them because of their academic abilities, so when the dean asks about the academic average of the team, Im going to be way up there. Phills surprised Jobe by approaching the coach after his freshman season in 1987-88 and declaring that he wanted to earn a spot in the rotation. Phills, a 6-foot-5 defensive stopper, started often at shooting Phills, 30, was leaving a team practice at the Charlotte Coliseum about 11 a.m. Wednesday when he lost control of his car less than a mile from the arena. Now take your shoes and socks off, Jobe said, [and then] put them back on just the way you took them off. Phills did just that. The other driver was slumped, unmoving, blood trickling from his nose. Cookie Policy. Alongside earning from his games, Phills was also active in charitable works. As I grew older, you kind of realize the hardships and struggles that sometimes people go through ultimately wind up shaping you for the best person you can be.". After Silas was named interim coach, Phills asked him, Coach, you want to keep this job? Silas answered yes, and Phills told him, OK, youre going to have it. Phills encouraged his teammates to dig in and finish the 50-game season strong, and Charlotte went 22-13 under Silas that year, good enough for the Hornets to name him the full-timehead coach. Ben Jobe, Phills's former coach at Southern, said today that he tried to steer Phills away from the NBA. I went through the motions for the next couple years, but eventually, I got out, he said. The family referred to Bobby Phills as Rob. In 2004, the NBA added an expansion team, the Charlotte Bobcats. She drove closer and saw the police and emergency personnel. He had it all. The Phills who remains in the memories of his friends and family can sometimes sound more like a myth than a man. "He had extreme high character. who were killed in accidents: Drazen Petrovic (1993) and Terry He was exceptionally strong, and while coaches and general managers debated whether he was a shooting guard or a small forward, Phills merely transformed himself into one of the game's most menacing defenders. Blydenburgh, the police crash investigator, said At one point, Woolard looked out his window and noticed only long legs. Start working. Phills made the rookies pay their dues, but along with tough love he dispersed nuggets of wisdom that would help them blossom into NBA starters. Follow Tyler Conway (@jtylerconway) on Twitter. I had gone out before him, and he was passing me, and he was going close to 100 miles an hour. Silas approached Phills at practice the next day. 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"He could have been one of the foremost black leaders in the country," Jobe said. The investigation is expected to take at least a week. This gave Silas some hope, and he approached the car. He was my partner in crime, he said. One time after a game, we were driving home. A family man. Jobe asked how many points Phills had scored. Filed Under: NBA, NBA History, Sports Tragedies, Bobby Phills, Charlotte Hornets, Paul Silas, David Wesley, Baron Davis, Brad Miller, Michael Jordan, Charlotte Bobcats, New Orleans Hornets, New Orleans Pelicans. I can't tell you what he meant to the Cavs. I said, Bobby, I dont understand this. But he was proud.. The finality of it didntcross his mind until Kendall called again and he heard the words, Hes dead., That moment just sat in my mind, Dwayne said. Police said his car collided head-on with a vehicle headed to the arena. It was the first number that the Hornets franchise had ever retired. That didnt impress me at all, Jobe recalled. "Bobby Phills was all that you would want in a human being," Embry said. 60 mph in a 45-mph zone. Phills and teammate David Wesley were racing each. Then David Wesleys fiance, Shannon, called. 13 in its practice facility, but not in the Smoothie King Center. When a salary dispute led to Cowenss sudden resignation in 1999, Silas inherited the top job. Coach, we just cant deal with that, he said. His father, Dr. Bobby Phills, is dean of agriculture and home economics at Florida A&M University. We come out of the building and thats where we were going., Thats the routine they were following the morning of the accident. [5] A police report said Phills and Wesley were driving "in an erratic, reckless, careless, negligent or aggressive manner. Claude Mills, the father of Phills's former teammate, Chris Mills, was. Cameras filmed a frozen Wesley standing a few feet from Phills's car, in obvious shock. Bridges said Phills' 1997 convertible, with the vanity plate He was someone that you would want your children to be like.". Several hundred feet of skid marks, estimated by witnesses to be about 150 yards, were made by Phills's vehicle. One of the most active Hornets players in the community, Phills was a tireless volunteer for childrens charities and related organizations. "[6] Wesley was later convicted of reckless driving after being cleared of a racing charge. Over his nine-year career, he averaged 11.0 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 2.7 assists per game. . Wallace taught and coached basketball at the high school, and Kendall had also been one of his students. [4], On January 12, 2000, while a member of the Charlotte Hornets, Phills was killed in a car accident in Charlotte, North Carolina. In many cases, thats all they had the intellect to do. ''. Tests showed he was legally drunk.

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