Jerrod Mustaf, a former first-round draft pick of the New York Knicks, has passed away.
The Baltimore Sun confirmed that Mustaf died on Monday, October 28, which would have been his 55th birthday. The cause of death has not yet been disclosed.
Gary Williams, who coached Mustaf for a season at the University of Maryland, remembered him as “an important member of the Maryland basketball family.” He described Mustaf as a “very talented big man skilled in all phases of the game.”
Maryland Basketball also released a statement expressing their sadness over Mustaf’s passing, honoring him as “forever a Terp, a teammate, and a friend.”
Mustaf was drafted by the Knicks with the 17th pick in the 1990 NBA Draft, playing alongside legends like Patrick Ewing and Charles Oakley. After one season, he was traded to the Phoenix Suns, where he spent three years in the league before moving to international teams.
In 1993, Mustaf was named an “investigative lead” in the shooting death of Althea Hayes, believed to be pregnant with his child at the time. Her family later filed a wrongful death lawsuit against him, which was settled out of court. Mustaf’s cousin, Lavonnie Wooten, was convicted of Hayes’ murder in 1996.
Mustaf reportedly felt “blackballed” by the NBA after these allegations, calling the situation “totally unfair.” He is survived by his 19-year-old son, Jaeden, who currently plays basketball for Georgia Tech.
