The future NBA star who died on court: Hank Gathers

A college star

A college star, The unstoppable Loyola offense, Dangerously driven, March 4, 1990, Untimely death, An irreplaceable loss, A teammate's tribute, The NBA star that never was

Hank Gathers was one of college basketball’s most dominant players, averaging 32.7 points and 13.7 rebounds per game in the 1988-89 season for Loyola Marymount. He was considered a sure-fire NBA lottery pick. Sourcing ESPN, Sports Illustrated and NCAA, let's examine the tragedy.

The unstoppable Loyola offense

A college star, The unstoppable Loyola offense, Dangerously driven, March 4, 1990, Untimely death, An irreplaceable loss, A teammate's tribute, The NBA star that never was

Under coach Paul Westhead’s breakneck Run-and-Gun system, Gathers thrived in one of the fastest offenses in NCAA history. The Lions averaged 112.5 points per game that season, then a record and still one of the highest ever today.

Dangerously driven

A college star, The unstoppable Loyola offense, Dangerously driven, March 4, 1990, Untimely death, An irreplaceable loss, A teammate's tribute, The NBA star that never was

Concerned that the medication was slowing his game, Gathers reportedly reduced his dosage without notifying doctors. His stats dipped slightly, but he remained a key member of the team and continued playing.

March 4, 1990

A college star, The unstoppable Loyola offense, Dangerously driven, March 4, 1990, Untimely death, An irreplaceable loss, A teammate's tribute, The NBA star that never was

During a WCC tournament semifinal against Portland, Gathers completed a thunderous alley-oop, then suddenly collapsed near midcourt. Medical staff rushed in, but he never regained consciousness.

Untimely death

A college star, The unstoppable Loyola offense, Dangerously driven, March 4, 1990, Untimely death, An irreplaceable loss, A teammate's tribute, The NBA star that never was

Gathers was pronounced dead less than two hours later at a Santa Monica hospital. He was only 23. The cause was later identified as hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, a heart muscle disorder.

An irreplaceable loss

A college star, The unstoppable Loyola offense, Dangerously driven, March 4, 1990, Untimely death, An irreplaceable loss, A teammate's tribute, The NBA star that never was

The college basketball world was stunned. Games were cancelled. Tributes poured in. Teammates and opponents alike struggled to process how a healthy young star had died so suddenly.

A teammate's tribute

A college star, The unstoppable Loyola offense, Dangerously driven, March 4, 1990, Untimely death, An irreplaceable loss, A teammate's tribute, The NBA star that never was

In the NCAA tournament that followed, Gathers’ teammate and close friend Bo Kimble shot his first free throw of each game left-handed, just like Gathers used to do, for his fallen friend. He made each one.

The NBA star that never was

A college star, The unstoppable Loyola offense, Dangerously driven, March 4, 1990, Untimely death, An irreplaceable loss, A teammate's tribute, The NBA star that never was

Gathers had been projected as a top-10 pick in the 1990 NBA Draft. Teams coveted his power, scoring touch, and rebounding instincts. His death left an unfillable void in the class.

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