Former NBA player Traylor dies
By SPORTS NETWORK
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  Former NBA forward Robert Traylor (left) was found dead in his Puerto Rico apartment on Wednesday. (REUTERS/Jim Bourg/Files) |
BAYAMON, Puerto Rico -- Former NBA player Robert "Tractor" Traylor was found dead in his Puerto Rico apartment Wednesday, according to his team. He was 34 years old.
Traylor was playing with Vaqueros de Bayamon of the National Superior Basketball (BSN), the top men's basketball league in Puerto Rico. He had been missing for several days before being found in the Isla Verde apartment.
The cause of death is not certain. Traylor underwent heart surgery in 2005.
The burly 6-foot-8 power forward was taken with the sixth overall pick in the 1998 NBA Draft by the Dallas Mavericks after a stellar collegiate career at Michigan.
He was immediately dealt to Milwaukee for forward Pat Garrity and the rights to the ninth overall pick, Dirk Nowitzki.
In 438 career NBA games -- 73 starts -- he posted per-game averages of 4.8 points and 3.7 rebounds with the Bucks, Cleveland and Charlotte/New Orleans.
