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Former Oklahoma great Tisdale dies at 44

By MURRAY EVANS –

Wayman Tisdale, a three-time All-American at Oklahoma who played 12 seasons in the NBA, died after a two-year battle with cancer. He was 44.

Tisdale died Friday morning at St. John Medical Center in Tulsa, hospital spokeswoman Joy McGill said.

After three years at Oklahoma, Tisdale played in the NBA with the Indiana Pacers, Sacramento Kings and Phoenix Suns. The 6-foot-9 forward, with a soft left-handed touch on the court and a wide smile off it, averaged 15.3 points for his career. He was on the U.S. team that won the gold medal in the 1984 Olympics.

After basketball, he became an award-winning jazz musician, with several albums making the top 10 on the Billboard charts.

"Wayman Tisdale is one of the best people I have ever had the privilege of knowing," Oklahoma coach Jeff Capel said in a statement. "He had an incredible gift of making the people who came in contact with him feel incredibly special."

Tisdale's death was announced on the Oklahoma Senate floor Friday by Senate Majority Leader Todd Lamb, who led the chamber in prayer.

"Whether you're a Cowboy or a Sooner, Oklahoma has lost a great ambassador," Lamb said. "He was a gifted musician, a gifted athlete and he just wore that well wherever he went."

The famously upbeat Tisdale learned he had cancerous cyst below his right knee after breaking his leg in a fall at his home in Los Angeles on Feb. 8, 2007. He said then he was fortunate to have discovered the cancer early.

"Nothing can change me," Tisdale told The Associated Press last June. "You go through things. You don't change because things come in your life. You get better because things come in your life."

His leg was amputated last August and a prosthetic leg that he wore was crimson, one of the colors of his beloved Oklahoma Sooners. He made a handful of public appearances in recent weeks, including one April 7 at an Oklahoma City Thunder game where he received the team's Community Hero Award.

Also within the past month, Tisdale was honored at the Greenwood Cultural Center in his hometown of Tulsa and presented with the Legacy Award. During the ceremony, he spoke about his cancer, saying "In my mind, I've beaten it."

Last month, Tisdale was chosen for induction into the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame.

He was the first freshman to be a first-team All-American since freshmen were allowed to play again in 1971-72. He was also one of 10 three-time All-Americans: The others were Oscar Robertson, Bill Walton, Lew Alcindor, Pete Maravich, Patrick Ewing, Tom Gola, Jerry Lucas, David Thompson and Ralph Sampson. Ewing and Tisdale were the last to accomplish the feat, from 1983-85.

Tisdale played on an Olympic team that sailed to the gold medal in Los Angeles, winning its game by 32 points. The squad was coached by Bob Knight and featured the likes of Ewing, Michael Jordan, Sam Perkins and Chris Mullin.

Tisdale averaged 25.6 points and 10.1 rebounds during his three seasons with the Sooners, earning Big Eight Conference player of the year each season.

He still holds Oklahoma's career scoring record with 2,661 points and career rebounding record with 1,048. Tisdale also owns the school's single-game scoring mark, a 61-point outing against Texas-San Antonio as a sophomore, along with career records in points per game, field goals and free throws made and attempts.

In 1997, Tisdale became the first Oklahoma player in any sport to have his jersey number retired. Two years ago, then-freshman Blake Griffin asked Tisdale for permission to wear No. 23, which Tisdale granted. Griffin went on to become the consensus national player of the year this past season as a sophomore.

"His basketball talent and accomplishments pale in comparison to the impact he had on the lives that he influenced by the way he lived his life, and the tremendous character he displayed in his fight with cancer," Capel said.

"Throughout it all, he always had that infectious smile. This is an incredibly sad day as we have lost not only one of the greatest Sooners ever, but one of the all-time best people to walk the face of this earth."

Tisdale is survived by his wife, Regina, and four children.

Copyright © 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.

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Rest in peace, Wayman ....






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RIP.

RIP indeed.

I didn't even know he was sick. This is a complete surprise. My sister just told me two days ago that he would be performing near Chicago this summer and I thought about going to see him. I am just

GrayCap beat you to it in General Discussion
http://prince.org/msg/100/308121

I’m really surprised and saddened to read this. I posted about his amputation and he was in such good spirits. I really thought he was doing much better.

Wow. Just saw it flash across ESPN. Total disbelief. First the
amputation and he seemed to be doing well. Now this. I followed
his college basketball career and he was awesome at Oklahoma
and he had a steady nba career too. The guy turned out to be
a good jazz musician too. I have his face to face cd which
is real good. RIP Wayman.

I just read the news report on his passing. So sad to know he died at a relatively young age. May he have eternal peace after losing a hard-fought battle with cancer.
[Edited 5/15/09 14:24pm]

daPrettyman said:

OK. I didn't see his post. Thanks.

He was from my home state. Sad to hear he passed. He was only 3 years older than me.

So sorry to hear this. . .waaaay too young. R.I.P.

What?!!!

YHWH is with his family..


YHWH is Elohim and Yahoshua is King

Linn4days said:

Jesus is Lord.

Man, i can't handle this. Until recently Robert Brookins too. Too much to take.

Shango said:

Both Wayman and Robert were good, good brothers. May they rest in eternal peace. I am so sad about this.

very sad to hear the news....


I loved his bass playing...seemed like such a nice guy as well..

Way to young to go..

This is a shock! I wasn't aware he was sick let alone had cancer.

R.I.P.

I remember hearing about Wayman having cancer.

Wow! I really wasn't that familiar with his music but my mom loves him. He was so young! How sad. And scary! Never heard of anyone having cancer in their knee!

kitbradley said:

Tisdale was diagnosed with bone cancer. The bones are a common area cancer cells travel to.
[Edited 5/17/09 6:42am]