Former NBA player Michael Sweetney, who spent four seasons with the New York Knicks and Chicago Bulls, has died at age 43.
Sweetney died Wednesday, Sept. 16, at Newark Beth Israel Medical Center, according to ESPN. His cause of death was not immediately known.
His wife, India, confirmed the heartbreaking news in an Instagram post on Thursday, Sept. 17, sharing a tribute to her late husband.
“With the heaviest hearts, we are deeply saddened to announce the passing of our beloved Michael. To know @mikesweetney was love to him. No one loved him more and he loved no one more than his family. His children were the light of his life, and he lived every day to give them the best life possible. He’s been my best friend for 30 years and my husband for almost 20. I’m not sure what we or I will do without him. He was the best son , brother, family member, friend, father and husband ANYONE could ask for. We appreciate every call and text of love and support. We just asked that right now You give us all a little time before you start to reach out because it’s been pretty overwhelming. Thank you and God bless.”
His College & NBA Career
Sweetney was a former first-round NBA draft pick who first made a name for himself as a standout college basketball player at Georgetown University.
Born on Oct. 25, 1982, in Washington, D.C., Sweetney became one of Georgetown’s top players during his three seasons with the Hoyas. The 6-foot-8 forward was known for his strength around the basket, rebounding and ability to score inside.
Sweetney had a particularly impressive junior season, averaging more than 22 points and 10 rebounds per game. His performance helped establish him as one of the top college players in the country and led him to enter the 2003 NBA Draft.
The New York Knicks selected Sweetney with the ninth overall pick in the first round. He played his first two NBA seasons in New York before being traded to the Chicago Bulls in 2005.
Sweetney spent two seasons with the Bulls, giving him four seasons in the NBA.
Post NBA
Sweetney was also open about some of the personal struggles he faced after his NBA career. In later years, he remained connected to basketball and spoke about his experiences in hopes of helping others. According to E! News, after leaving the NBA, Georgetown Hoyas legend Michael Sweetney opened up about his struggles with depression, revealing that his first years as a professional basketball player were especially difficult.
“I went from being a star at Georgetown and having my father at every game, to losing him and not even playing in the NBA. I knew I wasn’t going to be given a chance as a rookie because my coach told me, ‘Hey, I’m not going to play you,'” he told HoopsHype in 2017. “I was in New York, battling this while the media was writing articles about me, and I felt like I had nowhere to go. I just kept digging myself into a deeper hole of depression.”
“I knew I had to pull myself out of that and get myself together,” Sweetney said. “It took some time, but my family and friends had my back and helped me get through those really tough times.”
According to PEOPLE, Sweetney continued his basketball career after leaving the NBA, playing professionally in Puerto Rico, Venezuela and Uruguay. He later turned to coaching in 2019.
Sweetney coached at Yeshiva University and the Ramaz School in New York City. Most recently, he was hired in August as the head boys basketball coach at Golda Och Academy in West Orange, New Jersey.
Following his death, people who worked alongside Sweetney remembered him not only for his basketball talent, but also for the kindness and heart he showed off the court.
Yeshiva University head coach Elliot Steinmetz was among those paying tribute to the former NBA player and coach.
Steinmetz took to X and posted a trbiute. He said, “The world lost a giant today. I lost a close friend. The basketball world lost a beloved star. Our Jewish community lost an ally and someone who knew exactly how to show up. Mike Sweetney wasn’t just a friend. He was family. When you needed him, he was there. Always. You didn’t even have to ask….”
