R.I.P. Michael Wright

Jefe · Post by **Jefe** » Wed Nov 11, 2015 9:53 am

woh what the hell

Merkin · Post by **Merkin** » Wed Nov 11, 2015 10:02 am

RIP MW, did not see that coming. Dude was a beast at the 4 for being undersized.

Looks like he was out of basketball per Wiki

In July of 2011, he returned to Türk Telekom B.K. for one season with an option for a second one.[4]

In the summer of 2012, he signed a contract with Mersin BB.[5]

On February 3, 2015, he signed with Cholet Basket of the French LNB Pro A.[6] After averaging 1.7 points and 2 rebounds in 3 contests, Wright and Cholet parted ways.[7]

azcat49 · Post by **azcat49** » Wed Nov 11, 2015 10:03 am

What, my gosh, what else could go wrong. This is terrible. How did it happen. I thought he was still playing overseas

Luuuuuuuute · Post by **Luuuuuuuute** » Wed Nov 11, 2015 10:09 am

This is just such sad news. I got to see him play several times when I was at U of A, he was one of my favorite players.

RIP Michael Wright, a GREAT Wildcat gone way too soon.

UAEebs86 · Post by **UAEebs86** » Wed Nov 11, 2015 10:10 am

Chicat · Post by **Chicat** » Wed Nov 11, 2015 10:13 am

No!!!

Rest in Peace Big Man

carolinacat · Post by **carolinacat** » Wed Nov 11, 2015 10:16 am

Tragic. Mike Wright grew up in the projects of Chicago, raised by his mom. He attended Farragut Academy (same as Kevin Garnett, a former teammate) He really was the blue collar guy on those great teams from '99-'01. Hopefully there was no foul play or anything else involved in his death. Very sad.

Longhorned · Post by **Longhorned** » Wed Nov 11, 2015 10:16 am

I can't believe it.

Merkin · Post by **Merkin** » Wed Nov 11, 2015 10:22 am

carolinacat wrote:Tragic. Mike Wright grew up in the projects of Chicago, raised by his mom.

I remember a quote when he was playing for an Israeli team. Someone asked him if he was worried due to all the troubles then with the Palestinians. He said no, he felt safer in Israel than he did in Chicago.

97cats · Post by **97cats** » Wed Nov 11, 2015 10:23 am

this is just awful -- R.I.P.

Post by **UAdevil** » Wed Nov 11, 2015 10:25 am

Wow. So sad.

Jefe · Post by **Jefe** » Wed Nov 11, 2015 10:32 am

Deep gash to the head, found in his car.

http://www.kvoa.com/story/30492490/form ... -at-age-35" target="_blank

http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/bro ... -1.2430762" target="_blank

Cops are investigating the mysterious death of a man who was found beneath a pile of trash bags in an SUV parked in Brooklyn, police sources said Tuesday.

The man — a New Jersey resident who had been reported missing — was found dead inside his Lexus SUV parked on E. 16th St. between Aves. I and J in Midwood at about 11 a.m., police said.

New Jersey investigators searching for him tracked the doomed man down after activating the GPS in his SUV, according to officials.

The man's name was not immediately disclosed.

The car had been sitting on E. 16th St. since Sunday, neighbors told police.

He apparently died of a deep gash to the head, but he was found sprawled out on the backseat under several trash bags - leading investigators to believe that he may have been the victim of foul play.

"We don't know if this is a homicide or what," a police source said.

An autopsy was pending.

UAEebs86 · Post by **UAEebs86** » Wed Nov 11, 2015 10:34 am

dirtbags · Post by **dirtbags** » Wed Nov 11, 2015 10:35 am

completely shocked after seeing this.

r.i.p. MW, you were a great wildcat.

SCCats · Post by **SCCats** » Wed Nov 11, 2015 10:36 am

Total shock...no words

HiCat · Post by **HiCat** » Wed Nov 11, 2015 10:47 am

35 yrs old?? Wtf.. not good.

Main Event · Post by **Main Event** » Wed Nov 11, 2015 10:48 am

Ruined my whole day man

Alieberman · Post by **Alieberman** » Wed Nov 11, 2015 11:27 am

Awful news. Just awful

KOQSTRONG · Post by **KOQSTRONG** » Wed Nov 11, 2015 11:33 am

One of my favorite Arizona players of all time. Crazy. RIP big man.

dcZONAfan · Post by **dcZONAfan** » Wed Nov 11, 2015 11:43 am

Wow. RIP Michael, you were one of my favorite Cats during one of the greatest times to be a fan.

Beachcat97 · Post by **Beachcat97** » Wed Nov 11, 2015 11:46 am

Terrible, terrible news. Loved watching him play. Played pick-up ball in the rec with him a few times. Really nice guy.

RIP, MW.

CalStateTempe · Post by **CalStateTempe** » Wed Nov 11, 2015 12:01 pm

Awful awful awful. A big part of my huge bb fandom as a baby college cat back in the day.

Jefe · Post by **Jefe** » Wed Nov 11, 2015 12:30 pm

ASUHATER! · Post by **ASUHATER!** » Wed Nov 11, 2015 12:43 pm

Wow sad news. He was gone from Arizona by the time I became a fan. Hopefully they find out what happened.

EOCT · Post by **EOCT** » Wed Nov 11, 2015 12:43 pm

Just terrible.

Wonderful guy. I can't imagine how JG, Richard, Gil, Woods, Eugene, Luke, etc. feel hearing this.

UAEebs86 · Post by **UAEebs86** » Wed Nov 11, 2015 12:44 pm

Keeps getting worse

CBCat · Post by **CBCat** » Wed Nov 11, 2015 1:04 pm

Im very sad. One of my favorites!

CalStateTempe · Post by **CalStateTempe** » Wed Nov 11, 2015 1:17 pm

What? This makes no sense.

Jefe · Post by **Jefe** » Wed Nov 11, 2015 1:48 pm

Bipolar and may have taken his own life. Son of a bitch

Whats with the garbage bags?

gumby · Post by **gumby** » Wed Nov 11, 2015 2:41 pm

One of my favorite players. Just a damn sad story.

carolinacat · Post by **carolinacat** » Wed Nov 11, 2015 4:01 pm

Strong as a bull on the court. Quiet and unassuming off the court. Wright had such a soft demeanor they way he carried himself. He was an absolute handful his entire career for the Pac 10.

Merkin · Post by **Merkin** » Wed Nov 11, 2015 4:06 pm

I was thinking that may have happened, out of basketball at 35 with no kids and no prospects.

Just awfully sad.

I can't think of another player who was more steady and reliable. You always knew he was good for 12 and 8.

Jefe · Post by **Jefe** » Wed Nov 11, 2015 4:06 pm

http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/bro ... -1.2431278" target="_blank

On Tuesday, the 35-year-old basketball player who brought his game to Europe, was found dead in Brooklyn, sprawled out in the back of his Lexus SUV — possibly killed by a man he met on a gay dating app, police sources said.

Wright was found dead from a head wound inside his Lexus SUV on E. 16th St. in Midwood about 11 a.m. Tuesday, officials said. His body was covered in black garbage bags.

Autopsy results had not been released Wednesday evening, but police are investigating his death as a homicide, law enforcement sources said.

Wright’s grieving family was left bewildered.

“We are in disbelief,” Wright’s cousin Randolph Berry, 40, of Chicago told the News. “They’re telling us it’s foul play. His mom is on her way to New York now.”

Berry said he didn’t know why someone would hurt his cousin, who on the court was an imposing 6-foot-8 power forward.

“He’s a gentle giant,” Berry said. “He was a good person.”

Wright’s roommates at a palatial home in Closter, N.J. reported the basketball player missing on Sunday.

On Tuesday, an NYPD cruiser equipped with a license plate reader found Wright’s SUV on E. 16th St. near Ave. I, officials said.

Wright was found lying on the back seat, dead from a skull fracture, police sources said.

The vehicle had been sitting on the street since Sunday, neighbors told police.

Detectives are investigating the possibility that he was killed by someone he met on a gay dating app, Grinder, police sources said.

Berry said he didn’t know if his cousin was gay.

“We don’t know anything about his personal life.” Berry said. “All we know is that he did damage overseas. When he played ball, he destroyed everyone in front of him.”

Wright was a forward for the Arizona Wildcats between 1998 and 2000. He was drafted by the Knicks in 2001, but never made it onto the roster, colleagues said.

He ended up joining the overseas basketball circuit and played in Poland, Turkey and France, family members said.

"He left his French team in February and was planning to go back to Europe and play," Berry said "He wasn't planning on retiring."

Wright’s love of basketball started at Farragut Career Academy in Chicago, where he shared the court with NBA star Kevin Garnett, according to his former coach William “Wolf” Nelson.

"The class he graduated with was one of the best in Illinois history,” Nelson told the Chicago Sun Times. “They had four McDonald's All-Americans. He was that good.”

(He was) just a great person that was always underrated because of who he played with in high school," Nelson said.

At the University of Arizona, Wright was considered “one of college basketball’s finest and most physical power forwards,” according to the team website. He also was a leading rebounder in each of his three seasons in Tucson.

In January, Wright signed with Cholet Basket, a pro team out of Cholet, France, but left the team a month later, according to the team’s website.

Irish27 · Post by **Irish27** » Wed Nov 11, 2015 4:23 pm

Damn, RIP Michael. I was able to meet him a couple of times and he was very nice, but quiet. He was a monster under the boards and will never forget his game-winning shot at Stanford.

pc in NM · Post by **pc in NM** » Wed Nov 11, 2015 6:05 pm

How sad. Was previously unaware of bipolar Dx.

He was a personal favorite for his competitiveness and work ethic.

Condolescences to his family....

PHXCATS · Post by **PHXCATS** » Wed Nov 11, 2015 7:14 pm

One of my favorites. RIP and peace to his family and friends.

Bangkok Wildcat · Post by **Bangkok Wildcat** » Wed Nov 11, 2015 8:21 pm

Terrible news indeed. One of my favorite Cats....The Dude was a reliable beast as a forward and a very consistent performer. Loved watching him play. RIP Michael....Sincerest condolences to his family.

Very, very sad news.

ChooChooCat · Post by **ChooChooCat** » Wed Nov 11, 2015 8:23 pm

Wow it's possible this mag be a hate crime as well. How terrible this whole thing is.

Harvey Specter · Post by **Harvey Specter** » Wed Nov 11, 2015 9:20 pm

ChooChooCat wrote:Wow it's possible this mag be a hate crime as well. How terrible this whole thing is.

Whether it is or not it does not alter the tragedy of this loss.

I pray that they find the individual(s) responsible for this... It will not bring back MW, but at least there would be some small measure of justice served.

ChooChooCat · Post by **ChooChooCat** » Wed Nov 11, 2015 9:35 pm

Harvey Specter wrote:
ChooChooCat wrote:Wow it's possible this mag be a hate crime as well. How terrible this whole thing is.
Whether it is or not it does not alter the tragedy of this loss.

I pray that they find the individual(s) responsible for this... It will not bring back MW, but at least there would be some small measure of justice served.

Of course it's a major tragedy no matter what the circumstances, but it would be beyond sickening if this were a hate crime.

FreeSpiritCat · Post by **FreeSpiritCat** » Wed Nov 11, 2015 11:00 pm

Michael Wright was one of my favorite players. In college he was nearly unstoppable in the paint because he was built like a tank. He could shoot from about 15 feet and a good FT shooter too, even though he was a human rain delay at the FT line.

77HoyaCat4Ever · Post by **77HoyaCat4Ever** » Wed Nov 11, 2015 11:43 pm

Shocked when I read this. One of my favorite Cats. Saddened me deeply. Life is short.

Harvey Specter · Post by **Harvey Specter** » Thu Nov 12, 2015 7:52 am

ChooChooCat wrote:
Harvey Specter wrote:
ChooChooCat wrote:Wow it's possible this mag be a hate crime as well. How terrible this whole thing is.
Whether it is or not it does not alter the tragedy of this loss.

I pray that they find the individual(s) responsible for this... It will not bring back MW, but at least there would be some small measure of justice served.
Of course it's a major tragedy no matter what the circumstances, but it would be beyond sickening if this were a hate crime.

It is beyond sickening, period.

rgdeuce · Post by **rgdeuce** » Thu Nov 12, 2015 8:05 am

Terrible news. Of all the former players I had ever met or been around, he may have been the most genuinely nice. He was my father and I's favorite player on those teams, so relentless inside and very talented. I hope justice is served for whoever is responsible. If it is true about grindr, just shows how scary those meetup and dating sites/apps are.

Spaceman Spiff · Post by **Spaceman Spiff** » Thu Nov 12, 2015 8:19 am

RIP. He was a big part of some great teams here, and it's sad to see a life cut short. I didn't attend Arizona until he'd left, but it's nice to see people share positive experiences with him here.

gumby · Post by **gumby** » Thu Nov 12, 2015 4:30 pm

Was looking for that winning hoop against No. 1 Stanford (wedged between the Collins twins). No luck. Found this, though. A 2000-01 retrospective. Some Wright highlights in there.

UAEebs86 · Post by **UAEebs86** » Thu Nov 12, 2015 7:35 pm

azcat49 · Post by **azcat49** » Thu Nov 12, 2015 7:58 pm

That is so great. Man he is missed. Can't believe this shot happened

CBCat · Post by **CBCat** » Fri Nov 13, 2015 3:54 am

gumby wrote:Was looking for that winning hoop against No. 1 Stanford (wedged between the Collins twins). No luck. Found this, though. A 2000-01 retrospective. Some Wright highlights in there.

Absolutley loved that team and Wright was my favorite to watch.
Can anybody share oersonal knowledge how Lute came to recruit Wright and why he chose AZ all the way from Chicago? Thanks

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