Benefit planned for former NBA player injured in ATV wreck

Durham, N.C. — Friends in Durham are rallying around former pro-basketball player Rodney Rogers.

Rogers, who lives in the Triangle, suffered serious injuries in an all-terrain vehicle crash Friday night in Vance County.

A horseback riding group, "Black Trail Riders," said Sunday they are planning a benefit ride in a few weeks for Rogers.

Friends say his condition is uncertain and that he may have suffered some paralysis.

Rogers played basketball for Hillside High School in Durham and Wake Forest University. In 1993, he left Wake Forest in his junior season for the NBA and was selected ninth in the draft by the Denver Nuggets.

Rogers went on to play for the Los Angeles Clippers, Phoenix Suns, Boston Celtics, New Jersey Nets, New Orleans Hornets and the Philadelphia 76ers, before retiring in 2005. In career games, he averaged 9.1 points and 3.7 rebounds in 22.7 minutes a game.

Rogers won the 1999-2000 NBA Sixth Man Award, honoring the league's premier reserve player. That season, he ranked fourth in 3-pointer percentage and 16th in 3-pointers made.

20 Comments

WRAL.com welcomes your comments on this story. All comments are moderated prior to publication based on our posting guidelines. Please review them prior to posting and if your message is not approved.

VIEW ALL 20 COMMENTS

This story is closed for comments.

Latest Comments

I am in total shock at some of the comments that I have read here. I didnt personally know this man however my prayers go out to him and his family. What I do know is that this young man has been very active in his community and has been more than generous to numerous of his friends and family so maybe this benefit is a way of giving back. Also as GETOUT stated, maybe this man is bored sitting at home and wants to do something constructive to occupy his time. Did you folks ever think that maybe this man invested his money in lucrative ventures however/whatever his reasons for working for the city belong to him. Whether he is a multi-millionaire or just plain broke, he is human just like you and me and his works speak for themselves. So why do you have a problem if someone does something good for him. He has spread the love and your works will follow you all the days of your life.

lashandras
December 2, 2008 12:59 p.m.

meh2- tell me please, what is he supposed to be doing now, that would suffice for you that he managed his money wisely? If he decided, "hey i'm gonna go greet people at wal-mart" or any other "menial" job as you call it, would that mean he didn't manage his money wisely??? You tell me what he should be doing? Some people, including him, do some things because they want to.... I know if I had financial success, I would do what the heck I want to do, or "work" where the heck I wanna work! I know plenty of people who are retired and set financially, and get these "menial" jobs as you call it, because they get tired of sitting at home. TRUST ME, what appears one way, it might not exactly be that way.....

GETOUT
December 2, 2008 12:45 p.m.

Okay.. okay.. first off, I am well aware of how charity events and benefits work. I am also aware that there are several multi billion dollar organizations and persons who sponsor them out of the goodness of their hearts. However, in this situation, I believe that this is a group of people who are coming together out of the kindness of their hearts- NOT because anyone asked them to. I respect people's opinion's but it is really odd that all people are focusing on out of this is this man's financial portfolio. I am wondering where the sense of compassion is. This man just lost his brother in August and now he is in a questionable state in the hospital from an accident. So what he works for the city? Is he supposed to sit around and twiddle his thumbs? I find it refreshing that someone of his stature takes what you call a menial job and does it. I don't care what he does with his money-not my business.

aocopeland
December 2, 2008 11:59 a.m.

Getout - he has been working digging ditches, and trust me, he stands out in a crowd, and has been recognized.

A benefit is being organized to provide him with money. Would people do that for a multi-millionaire?

Based on those two facts - working at a menial minimum wage job, and having people raise money for him, a reasonable person could surmise that he has not managed his 37 million dollar lifetime income well. Or perhaps that he likes to dig ditches and his friends think that with all the money he has in the bank that he would like some more, just because.

meh2
December 2, 2008 8:35 a.m.

Hey GravyPig, thisquestionis for you nad everybody else that has your opinion. Where is it reported that he didn't manage his money well? Or is that an ASSUMPTION that was and has been made. All because one group wants to show their support for him... ANYONE, please show me where he didn't manage his finances to YOUR liking......

GETOUT
December 1, 2008 9:37 p.m.