RIP Roy Tarpley

[UAEebs86]

http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nb ... /21531289/

DALLAS (AP) — Roy Tarpley, the former Dallas Mavericks star center whose NBA career was cut short by drug abuse, died Friday at age 50.

According to a Tarrant County medical examiner's report, Tarpley died Friday afternoon at Texas Health Arlington Memorial Hospital in Arlington, near Dallas. No cause of death was given in the online report.

"If Roy had stayed healthy, he could have been one of the top 50 players ever," Brad Davis, the Mavericks' radio analyst and player-development coach who played with Tarpley, told The Dallas Morning News. "He could do it all — shoot, score, rebound, pass and defend. We're all sorry to hear of his passing."

The 7-foot Tarpley was the seventh overall pick in the 1986 NBA draft out of Michigan. He played for the Mavericks until October 1991, when he was kicked out of the NBA for using cocaine.

He played in Greece until the NBA reinstated him in 1994. He signed a six-year, $20 million contract with the Mavericks but was permanently banned from the NBA in December 1995 for using alcohol and violating the terms of a court-imposed personal aftercare program.

Tarpley averaged 12.6 points and 10.0 rebounds in 280 regular-season games.