Okay..that subject was a little cheesy. But I've been gone for a minute (again) so I had to find some way to spice things up to counteract the posting of yet more grim news. Especially in this instance where the news didn't make much of a buzz in the real media.
Former NBA star Orlando Wooldrige passed away a week ago today after suffering from a chronic heart condition. He was only 52-years-old.
The timing of my finding out about Woolridge was rather ironic. I was getting ready for a shoot at First Fridays catching the NBA Playoffs on television. You would think it would have gotten announced during the telecast, but instead it was a Twitter notification that told me. Still, it was fitting that I got the news while an NBA game was being broadcast.
Woolridge played for more than a few teams during his NBA career, but the one I remember him with the most was the Bulls. Only because he was there during the young years of a budding Michael Jordan. Woolridge always reminded me of the Bulls version of Michael Cooper. Oddly enough, Woolridge would later end up playing for the Lakers just as Cooper did.
It was good to see Woolridge overcoming his drug addiction to later become a coach in the WNBA. Even if it was only the WNBA. I always hope that one day he would get back to the real League in a coaching role and follow in the steps of the likes of Doc Rivers. Too bad it will never happen now.
Rest in peace, O.
