Former NBA Player Dies At 55

Jerrod Mustaf, a former first-round pick for the New York Knicks, has passed away.

He was 55.

Mustaf left the NBA in the 1990s after facing accusations of being involved in the murder of his pregnant girlfriend.

The North Carolina native was selected 17th overall by the Knicks in the 1990 NBA Draft.

His cause of death is not yet known.

“With great sadness we learned of the passing of Jerrod Mustaf today. Forever a Terp, a teammate, and a friend,” Maryland Men’s Basketball announced.

With great sadness we learned of the passing of Jerrod Mustaf today. Forever a Terp, a teammate, and a friend. pic.twitter.com/MgIqac6yTc

— Maryland Men’s Basketball (@TerrapinHoops) October 28, 2024

Mustaf averaged 16.6 points per game for the Terrapins during his collegiate stint.

Daily Mail reports:

Mustaf was later accused of being involved in the murder of his pregnant girlfriend, Althea Hayes, in 1993. He wasn’t charged and steadfastly denied the allegations, even as Mustaf’s cousin, Lavonnie Wooten, was found guilty of the crime and sentenced to life in prison in 1996.

The son of self-described ‘black militant’ Shaar Mustaf, the younger Mustaf played high school ball at DeMatha High in Hyattsville, where he developed into one of the top recruits in the county.

At his father’s urging, Mustaf enrolled at Maryland, where he was named to three Parade All-American tams.

Although he was a first-round pick, Mustaf struggled to crack the Knicks rotation, given the depth at power forward with the presence of Charles Oakley. As a result, New York traded Mustaf to Phoenix in the deal that brought defensive ace Xavier McDaniel to the Knicks.

The basketball community has lost a Legend. Our hearts are with the family, friends and fans of Jerrod Mustaf.#LegendsForever pic.twitter.com/XPptXkNXBV

— NBA Alumni (@NBAalumni) October 28, 2024

From the New York Post:

Mustaf’s cousin, LaVonnie Wooten, was convicted of first-degree murder and received a life sentence without parole, according to the Washington Times, but both the prosecution and defense claimed Mustaf masterminded the murder since he wanted Hayes to have an abortion, per the report.

The ex-NBAer is alleged by Hayes’ family to have offered $5,000 for her to not have the baby, per a Tucson Citizen report.

The Suns bought out the remaining two years and $3.8 million remaining on Mustaf’s contract in 1994 following the murder, per The New York Times.

Mustaf was never charged with any crime despite the allegations, and he claimed he did not know that Hayes was pregnant, per the outlet.

He settled out of court with Hayes’ family in 1998 following a wrongful death lawsuit by Hayes’ parents, according to the Washington Times.

He told Sports Illustrated that the accusations against him were “totally unfair” and helped keep him out of the league.

“Whether I was blackballed,” he told the publication, “isn’t even a question.”

This is a Guest Post from our friends over at 100 Percent Fed Up.

View the original article here.