North Carolina basketball legend Eric Montross has died.
UNC on Monday shared a statement from the Montross family announcing that Eric died the day prior at his home in Chapel Hill. Montross had been diagnosed with cancer in March. He was 52.
“Carolina Athletics, the Tar Heel basketball family and the entire University community are profoundly saddened and stunned by the loss of Eric Montross, one of our most beloved former student-athletes, at far too young an age,” UNC said in its statement. “Eric was a great player and accomplished student, but the impacts he made on our community went way beyond the basketball court. He was a man of faith, a tremendous father, husband and son, and one of the most recognizable ambassadors of the University and Chapel Hill.”
Montross played at UNC from 1990-1994. He was part of the Tar Heels’ national championship team in 1993. He was First-team All-ACC that year and a second-team All-American in 1993 and 1994.
Montross was selected by the Boston Celtics with the No. 9 overall pick in the 1994 NBA Draft. He spent two seasons in Boston before being traded to the Dallas Mavericks in 1996. Montross ended up playing for six different teams across eight NBA seasons.
After he retired due to a foot injury in 2003, Montross worked as the color commentator for UNC men’s basketball games on the Tar Heel Sports Network. He held that job for 18 seasons until he stepped away earlier this year due to health issues.
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