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Former NBA player Mitchell Wiggins, who played six seasons in the league, has sadly passed away at the age of 64 due to a serious illness. Wiggins was the 23rd overall pick in the 1983 NBA Draft.
His legacy continued through his son, Andrew Wiggins, who is a Golden State Warriors forward. Because of his father’s illness, the Warriors granted his son complete approval to take time off and be with his family.
The heartbreaking news of Wiggins’ passing was shared by his daughter, Agney, on social media. Since then, tributes have poured in from across the NBA community. In a statement on Friday, the Houston Rockets, one of Wiggins’ former teams, expressed their condolences.
Mitchell Wiggins’ NBA Career Highlight
Mitchell Wiggins had the opportunity to play for multiple NBA teams throughout his career, including the Chicago Bulls, Houston Rockets, and Philadelphia 76ers. Over the course of 389 games, he averaged 10.0 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 1.6 assists per game, while playing 20.8 minutes per contest.
However, Wiggins faced a major setback in 1987 when he was banned from the NBA for more than two seasons after testing positive for cocaine. Despite the adversity, he made a successful return to the league in the 1989-90 season with the Rockets. In his comeback season, he averaged an impressive 15.5 points per game on 48.8% shooting.
His final stint in the NBA came with the Philadelphia 76ers during the 1991-92 season. Beyond the NBA, Wiggins also played professionally in Greece and France. Additionally, he represented Team USA and won a silver medal at the 1982 FIBA World Championships.
