12 NBA Players who died during their Playing Career 

#3 Bobby Phills

Bobby Phills (via sportingnews.com)

The Louisiana native was quite the talent and would average 11.0 points during his nine-year career. Having built a reputation as a defensive menace, as well as a great perimeter shooter, there’s no telling where Bobby Phills could have ended up.

A former shooting guard, Phills last played for the Charlotte Hornets, where he spent three years before his life was cut short by a tragic vehicular accident in January of 2000. Phills and teammate David Wesley were said to be driving at high speeds when he lost control of his Porsche and hit two oncoming vehicles. The other drivers survived, but the player was pronounced dead at the scene. His jersey (#13) was later retired by the Hornets, an act that made him the first-ever player to have their jersey in the rafters for by the franchise.