Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Steve Chiasson died in May when his pickup truck crashed outside Raleigh. Wesley was later convicted of reckless driving for his part in the incident. A SAD DAY IN CHARLOTTE - Chicago Tribune The black car carried a vanity plate that read SLAMN. That was his dream car, recalled Phillss younger brother Dwayne. Hornets' Phills Killed in Car Wreck\ the Nba Guard Isremembered As a The accident occurred a year ago yesterday, when Bobby Phills lost control of his Porsche after a Hornets practice in Charlotte, N.C. In many cases, thats all they had the intellect to do. Silas spent the morning shootaround showing his team film of the Bucks blowout. Like when Phills and his high school teammates had lifted and moved Wallaces car after a game Wallace suspected a rival team had stolen the vehicle, before realizing his players had pranked him. And as if the axle of a wheel suddenly gave way, everyone connected to Bobby Phills fell apart. In 1998, he was one of four I was always told: Dont fall in love with the horses talking about the players. So I feel like even he knew that there was more to life than just the sport. : SAN ANTONIO; Elliott Returns to Practice Following Transplant, "Phills' No. I wanted him to be as idealistic as I thought I was.. Phills, 30, was killed in an automobile accident Wednesday morning. Anthony Mason was just like, Man, whyd it have to be him?. Before sending Phills to the gym, he had one more lesson for his player. I stopped in the middle of the street. I knew if I could just get on the court after it happened, that it would give me a moments peace, even if it was only five minutes, Wesley said. He had everything. ESPN.com - null Wire My god, he had the whole package, Jobe said of Phills. Phills died while traveling on Tyvola Road in Charlotte, North Carolina,after driving at a high rate of speed with then-teammate David Wesley. He was going to play ball again, Jovanovic said recently. The important thing is for him to go there and graduate and do the things that his daddy did not do.. After being cut in December 1991 without playing a game for the Bucks, Phills had a stint with the Sioux Falls Skyforce of the Continental Basketball Association before being signed by the Cavaliers and rejoining the NBA late in the 1991-92 season. To Kendall, the legacy he left behind in Charlotte was a higher achievement, one that represented Bobbys contributions to the community as well as on the court. Kevin Garnett reflects on the life of former teammate and friend Malik Sealy. [7], The Hornets retired Phills' #13 jersey on February 9, 2000, during halftime of a game vs. Phills' former team, the Cavaliers. You hope no one would ever have to feel that, Miller said. Hes got a great sense of the game, understanding his athleticism as well, and his poise on the floor, said Yale coach James Jones. Some of our partners may process your data as a part of their legitimate business interest without asking for consent. He was someone that you would want your children to be like.". He was someone that you would want your children to be like.. "He had the brain power, he had the great family background. Having coached there, I felt he didn't Sometimes people dont believe that type of person exists. Stunned and tearful teammates and Hornets officials gathered at the accident scene less than a mile from the Charlotte Coliseum, where minutes earlier Phills and the other . Wesley had twice been charged with speeding in Mecklenburg County, which includes Charlotte. Bobby is gone, Silas said. Rabalais: Bobby Phills' jersey returns to the rafters in Charlotte When something like that happens, you blame everybody. Often, he would volunteer for children's charities and related organizations. Jobe had little doubt that once Phills earned an opportunity in the NBA, he would thrive. I wanted him to be there representing us. The basketball was our way of connecting, and thats how Trey and I have been., A few other factors played into Treys budding confidence. "It's shocking.". The next month, Wesley was charged with two misdemeanors: speed competition and reckless driving. Police said he was driving drunk. From people that Ive talked to, they say it doesnt go away. He attended Southern University, which is in Baton Rouge. Listed in stable condition at Presbyterian Hospital were Robert Woolard Jr., 31, of Cornelius, the driver of the other car; and Yao Agbegbon, 33, of Charlotte, who was driving a minivan taxi, Bridges said. Eventually, a police officer covered Phillss face. TimesMachine is an exclusive benefit for home delivery and digital subscribers. The Hornets' guard lost control of his 1997 Porsche 993 Cabriolet and collided head-on with a vehicle heading towards him. Are you hurt? Once, Jobe walked into the gym to find Phillss younger brother rebounding for him. Bobby Phills, the Charlotte Hornets guard who parlayed a 10-day contract into a nine-year National Basketball Association career and who was once called by Michael Jordan the toughest defender. I know people dont think it, but its easy because its just you and the basket. Jobe sat Phills down. A few minutes later, according to Silas, the coach received a call from David Wesley. Two days later, members of the Hornets and Knicks attended Phillss memorial service. She had this fantastic crush on Bobby, Wallace recalled. We just couldnt play hard anymore, Silas said. If there's a person you would want to your children to be, a role model, it's Bobby Phills. The NBA honored Phills memory by preceding every league game on the day of his death with a moment of silence. He led the NCAA in three-point field goals per game (4.39) his senior year. When Minnesotas Malik Sealy died in a car accident the same year as Phills, she offered Sealys widow, Lisa, both financial and emotional support. Hornets' Phills Killed in Car Crash "Tell everybody where Daddy is," Kendall Phills instructed her 3-year-old son. executive vice president of basketball operations. No, that cant be true. She called Wesley. Phills would sign autographs until his hand hurt. Upon hearing the news, George Shinn, the Charlotte Hornets owner, said, "This is the ultimate tragedy.". "He could have been one of the foremost black leaders in the country," Jobe said. On the first anniversary of the accident, Wesley buried a deep 3-pointer with 3.5 seconds remaining to lift Charlotte to an 86-85 win over the Bulls. And thats what happened. Silas had been friendly with Phills before his death, and he became a member of Phillss family when he married Kendalls sister, Keryl, in 2002. "He just left, and I didn't hug him, I didn't tell him that I loved him. ''I figured we'd give him a shot to catch on with another team. He is also survived by his parents. There had been an accident. For a long time, I couldnt think of a time when I wasnt thinking about him, Wesley said. Everything hurt. Kendall walked onto the court, accompanied by Trey, Kerstie, and Brittany Dixon (Bobbys daughter from a different relationship). "That morning, I didn't get to tell Bobby goodbye,"Kendall Phills, Bobby'swife, said. He was in his car, lifeless. She prayed for him, told him that she loved him, and promised to take care of their children. Its kind of like me and my dad we spent a bunch of time on the court. He let me go, I held his hand, and I prayed with him. You need to let me coach him, Brewer said. And as if the . Ben Jobe, Phills's former coach at Southern, said today that he tried to steer Phills away from the NBA. Im trying to keep the flesh lovers away from him. The Milwaukee Bucks drafted Phills in the second round of the 1991 draft, but they cut him before the season. We and our partners use data for Personalised ads and content, ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development. all-defensive team after the 1995-96 season, the same season in which Jordan paid him the ultimate compliment by calling him the toughest defender he had faced. Phills, 30, was traveling at a "very high rate of speed" when he collided with a car headed toward the coliseum, police spokesman Keith Bridges said. Jobe reminded Phills that Phills had said he wanted to be a doctor, not a basketball player. Blydenburgh, the crash investigator. If you would like to change your settings or withdraw consent at any time, the link to do so is in our privacy policy accessible from our home page.. You always thought you had something to prove, said Wesley, who made his career as a strong, table-setting point guard. Phills, a 6-foot-5 defensive stopper and a team leader, started often at shooting guard or small forward for the Hornets, and sometimes played in a reserve role. ''I told him we would release him if we wanted, because we already had 13 or 14 guaranteed deals and his chances of making it were slim,'' Fratello said. The ceremony included a . Phills lost control of his car on a hilly bend. It just wasnt right Even [now], when I drive down the way that Bobby passed away, it just stays with me. L. E. Blydenburgh, the crash investigator, told The Associated Press. Phills died while traveling on Tyvola Road in Charlotte, North Carolina, after driving at a high rate of speed with then-teammate David Wesley. The police report said Phills was traveling eastbound on West Tyvola Road just before 11 a.m., less than a mile from the Charlotte Coliseum. I blamed him. At the time of Phillss accident, Wesley was driving on a suspended license, after he had failed to comply with the terms of a citation he had received several months earlier in Alabama. The Associated Press The police examining the black Porsche driven by Bobby Phills in his fatal car crash Wednesday. The two lived close to one another, and after games, Phillss wife, Kendall, often drove Silass wife, Carolyn, home from the Charlotte Coliseum. Trey gained statewide recognition in North Carolina while playing for Charlotte Christian School. He was a loving father and husband, Davis said of Phills. player to be killed in an accident. He was the franchises future a brash, bowling-ball point guard who expected immediate NBA stardom. Phills was killed instantly, and two people in vehicles involved in an accident were hospitalized. family background. Phills played in the NBA for nine seasons, his first six with the Cleveland Cavaliers and last three with the Charlotte Hornets. Trey looked up to Henderson; he says he has observed aspects of the swingmans game that remind him of his fathers. I said, Bobby, I dont understand this. But he was proud.. And whenever he didnt win he talked enough trash to make you think he won. The three-vehicle crash is under investigation by the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department, which is looking into whether Phills and his best friend on the Hornets, David Wesley, the team's starting point guard, had been racing along a stretch near the arena. Wesley's car wasn't involved in the accident, and he was questioned at the scene. player. We and our partners use cookies to Store and/or access information on a device. . Bobby Phills - Wikipedia Because I have to be strong for my children. Phills Sr. believes he could have easily hit his head on the deck. Gerald Henderson was drafted by Charlotte in 2009, and over his fiveNBA seasons, hed grown close to the Phills family. who were killed in accidents: Drazen Petrovic (1993) and Terry An autopsy on Phills was to be performed at the medical examiner's office. He was a member of Alpha Phi Alpha. "We are deeply saddened by the tragic loss of this outstanding She drove closer and saw the police and emergency personnel. Several hundred feet of skid marks, estimated by witnesses to be about 150 yards, were made by Phills's vehicle. By: News On 6. Tests showed he was legally drunk. His community. I dont care if he never makes a basket, Jobe said of Trey. Hornets' Phills dies in car wreck - Deseret News Witnesses said teammate David Wesley, the Hornets' starting point guard, also may have been driving too fast in his own Porsche, according to police. "He was a very in-depth person and just a treasure to be around," Moser said. Some were nice and tactful. The game was postponed. He was our guy, and he was going to a better place.. He still has foggy memories of his father tossing him in the air. Hornets Retire Phills' No. 13 | NBA.com Honestly, I dont know what happened after that. In fact, he shut MJ down once and I was really impressed. After starting her college career at Wagner, Kerstie transferred and is currently a redshirt sophomore for Florida Gulf Coast University. Silas, known as one of the greatest enforcers and all-around tough guys in NBA history, broke down in tears. Now take your shoes and socks off, Jobe said, [and then] put them back on just the way you took them off. Phills did just that. You stepped into my life on May 20, 2000, like an angel, Lisa Sealy wrote in a note for an event marking the first anniversary of Bobby Phillss death. A minivan rear-ended the other car, police said. Youve got two beautiful kids. He spent the final years of his career with the Houston Rockets and Cleveland Cavaliers before retiring in 2007, and he now works as a color analyst for the Pelicans. Tell everybody where Daddy is, Kendall Phills instructed her 3-year-old son. The following season, on the morning of Phillss death, Silas fumed at his team. Furlow (1980) in car crashes and Nick Vanos (1987) in an air crash. charities and related organizations. I dont know anything about him. Bobby Phills Bio [2023 Update]: Stats, Wife, Death & Net Worth him away from the NBA. Fourth on the team in scoring, a captain and a leader and one of the Hornets' top reserves, he averaged 10.9 points, 3.2 rebounds and 2.7 assists a game for his career. I was devastated.. From the darkened arena, one active Hornets player had returned early from halftime to watch the ceremony. Bobby Ray Phills III, nicknamed Trey, is in his sophomore season playing guard at Yale. He was 30 years old. He thought it was his fault that it happened. Silas told Wesley that the team couldnt function if Wesley didnt play his best, and eventually the players game returned to form. On November 1, 2014, the newly renamed team re-honored his jersey; it currently hangs from the rafters of the Spectrum Center.[9][10]. But Bobby Phills would want us to play hard, and he would want us to win. Wesley started against the Knicks that night and missed nine of 11 shots. Nobody was there to validate him, Kendall said. But Bobby Phills was driving too fast, and so was David Wesley, and Phills' car crashed, and he died instantly. 1997 Porsche 996 Cabriolet that wasn't involved in the accident. the accident scene. Phills' jersey was originally raised at the Charlotte Coliseum on Feb. 9, 2000, following his death in an automobile accident. He averaged 10.9 points, 3.2 rebounds and 2.7 assists a game for his career at the end of last season and was fourth on the team in scoring this season. That moment that mistake ended Phillss life at 30 years old. We believed in offense first, defense second, he said. Phills was killed last Jan. 12 in a car accident following a morning shootaround. "This young man represented the very best of Southern posted speed was 45 mph. Brewer noticed, too: He had the skills because he worked on it, so when he became older, now hes not that skinny little boy anymore. To be honest, Trey said, she might be tougher than me on the court., As promising as the Phills childrens basketball careers have been, Bobby Phillss college coach Jobe hopes to see them honor their fathers legacy off the court. CHARLOTTE, N.C. Bobby Phills of the Charlotte Hornets was killed in a car wreck Wednesday shortly after a morning practice at the team's arena. Or the times Phills had called him a high school coach for advice on how to guard Michael Jordan. She never really considered returning to Louisiana. This gave Silas some hope, and he approached the car. Charlotte Hornets players Bobby Phills and David Wesley were racing each other in their Porsches less than a mile from the Charlotte Coliseum when Phills lost control on a hilly curve and was. Look, I understand the way things are with you guys, Silas told his shellshocked team. Both other drivers survived, while Phills died on the scene. Phills, 30, was leaving a team practice at the Charlotte Coliseum about 11 a.m. Wednesday when he lost control of his car less than a mile from the arena. ''Not only was Bobby a tremendous person, but a great husband, father and role model that everyone respected and admired,'' said George Shinn, the Hornets' owner. In October 1997, he was charged with driving Charlotte finished the season with a 49-33 record, but lost to Philadelphia in the first round of the playoffs. CHARLOTTE - Charlotte Hornets guard Bobby Phills was speeding in his Porsche after practice Wednesday when he lost control, crashed into a car and died instantly. At the same time, he took the most of his opportunities, and it really pushed him., Trey has pushed himself in similarly broad pursuits. Phills's death was another in a series of shocks to hit North Carolina sports in recent months. Charlotte Hornets' Bobby Phills Killed In Car Crash - Brief Article Things changed, Jobe said. A native of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Phills attended Baton Rouge's Southern University. Coach Paul Silas of the Hornets and team members gathered around the scene of the accident as the police used yellow tape to cordon off the area. The day is going pretty decently, Robert Woolard Jr. thought. Over his nine-year career, he averaged 11.0 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 2.7 assists per game. Phills agreed, and a couple weeks later, he approached the coach. Charlotte Hornets guard Bobby Phills was killed Wednesday when his speeding Porsche collided with a car near the Charlotte Coliseum, where Phills had just finished a game-day practice. As a Laker fan, I remember him with Cleveland as the defensive stopper. Hornets guard killed in car accident - January 13, 2000 His wife. Youve got a great wife. "[6] Wesley was later convicted of reckless driving after being cleared of a racing charge. The Hornets returned to the court January 15, three days after Phillss death, with a loss to the Knicks in New York. TRAGIC ROLE FOR TRUTH PART OF PHILLS' DEATH - Mitch Albom Continue with Recommended Cookies, Charlotte Hornets Bobby Phills Killed In Car Crash Brief Article Obituary. He got into a car with the Hornets coaching staff and made the short drive to Tyvola. While the No. . It took firefighters more than two hours to pry Phills's body from the car. Both Phills and Wesley have been charged with speeding in the Three. The Hornets had come together and shown admirable resilience after Phillss death, but by the time the postseason arrived, they were ready to fold. Kendall needed to get to Tyvola. Phills was killed instantly Wednesday morning when he lost control of his speeding Porsche and it crashed head-on into another vehicle. Interest-Based Ads. averaged 10.9 points, 3.2 rebounds and 2.7 assists for his career. Bobby Phills Sr. recalled receiving a call from Dwayne. Click here to watch Jalen & Jacoby, Grantland Features, and video podcasts. 13 was where it belonged. "Bobby Phills was all that you would want in a human being," Embry said. He was someone that you would want your children to be like.". The advice meant a lot to Miller, who looked up to Phills and Wesley, players who hadnt been first-round darlings but who had managed to thrive in the league. Ill watch some videotape of Bobby. The other driver was slumped, unmoving, blood trickling from his nose. And we only passed maybe one, two cars, before the accident." Phills: But Bobby Phills was driving too fast, and so was David Wesley, and Phills' car crashed, and he died instantly. L.E. Athleticism. Phills's teammates were on the scene with club officials immediately after the accident, which occurred less than a mile from the Charlotte Coliseum. No. When Im by myself, thats when I cry. It really hits home with me because he has two kids about the same age as mine, and I know the impact a father has on kids like that its a very tragic day for this league.. Kendall hoped to see her husbands legacy return to an NBA arena when New Orleans changed its name to the Pelicans last season. A female passenger was hurt in that collision with a tractor-trailer. One time after a game, we were driving home. Phills' Hornets teammates also wore a patch bearing his' #13 on their jerseys for the remainder of the 19992000 season. Phills, 30, died instantly when his black Porsche collided with another . Phills lost control on a hilly curve where the posted speed was 45 mph, said Capt. I knew that he had passed away, Silas said. Jobe told Phills to shoot alone. After the New Orleans team re-branded themselves as the New Orleans Pelicans - thereby relinquishing the Hornets name and their previous history in Charlotte - the Bobcats became the Hornets and merged the team's past tenures into a new history for the franchise. Through Sunday, every N.B.A. CHARLOTTE, N.C. Nearly 15 years have passed since Bobby Phills' death in a tragic car crash in January 2000. [1] He was selected by the Milwaukee Bucks in the 1991 NBA draft (45th overall). You sitting down? Phills Sr. knew something had to be wrong. belong there," Ben Jobe, Phills' former coach at Southern, said Wednesday. I know that everybody has a day when Gods going to call them home, and January 12, 2000, was the day God chose for Bobby. Soon after Phillss son addressed the mourners, Wesley stepped to the podium. For his role in the accident, David Wesley was charged and convicted of reckless driving. Phills Killed in Three-Car Accident He said Phillss death would haunt him for the rest of his life. He was considered one of the team leaders. He really grew on the fans here. I go through the light. 1:09. Jersey of former Southern star Bobby Phills returns to Charlotte
