American Mark Eaton, an imposing 2.24m tall center who played 11 seasons for the Utah Jazz, has died at the age of 64, the NBA franchise reported on Saturday.
In a statement in which the causes of death are not specified, the Jazz explained that Eaton was found Friday night with his bicycle on a road in Summit County (Utah) “after apparently having crashed.”
The former player was transferred to a hospital where he later died.
According to the county Sheriff’s Office, “there is no reason to believe that a vehicle was involved in the incident,” the Jazz statement said.
Eaton spent his entire career in Utah (1982-1993), where he shared a team with John Stockton and Karl Malone, and was recognized twice with the Defensive Player of the Year award (1985 and 1989).
Eaton added a total of 3,064 blocks throughout his career, the fourth highest number in NBA history, leading the league in that section in four seasons (1984, 1985, 1987 and 1988).
Eaton’s No. 53 jersey was retired by the Jazz in the 1995-96 season. (GG) (AFP)