Former Knicks first-round pick Jerrod Mustaf, who was embroiled in a murder controversy during his career, died Monday on his 55th birthday, according to the Baltimore Sun.
The cause of death is not yet known, per the report.
The Knicks drafted Mustaf with the 17th pick in the 1990 NBA Draft following a strong collegiate career with Maryland.
The North Carolina native averaged 16.6 points and 7.7 rebounds across two seasons with the Terrapins, including a team-best 18.5 points and and 7.7 rebounds in his sophomore season in 1989-90.
“Jerrod was a very talented big man who was very skilled in all phases of the game,” former Maryland coach Gary Williams told the Baltimore Sun in a statement. “He played one season for me, which was my first year at Maryland. … He was an important member of the Maryland basketball family.”
Mustaf then joined a Knicks team that went 45-37 and lost to the eventual champion Pistons in the Eastern Conference semifinals the year before, but he lasted just one season in New York.
The power forward averaged 4.3 points and 2.7 rebounds across 62 games (five starts) in his rookie campaign for a 39-43 Knicks team that the eventual champion Bulls swept in the first round.
The Knicks then sent Mustaf along with Trent Tucker and two second-round picks to the Suns in exchange for Xavier McDaniel.
Mustaf played three years with Phoenix before his NBA career ended, averaging just 3.9 points and 2.4 rebounds across 117 games.
He averaged 4.0 points and 2.5 rebounds spanning 179 NBA games before transitioning to an international career.
“Nothing about Phoenix was a good fit for me,” Mustaf told Sports Illustrated.
During his time in Phoenix, Mustaf found himself engulfed in controversy after being accused of having his pregnant girlfriend murdered.
Althea Hayes was shot in the head on July 22, 1993 while three months pregnant with Mustaf’s child, according to the News & Record.
Mustaf’s cousin, LaVonnie Wooten, was convicted of first-degree murder and received a life sentence without parole, according to the Washington Times, but both the prosecution and defense claimed Mustaf masterminded the murder since he wanted Hayes to have an abortion, per the report.
The ex-NBAer is alleged by Hayes’ family to have offered $5,000 for her to not have the baby, per a Tucson Citizen report.
Mustaf has not been charged with any crime despite the allegations and he claimed he did not know that Hayes was pregnant, per the outlet.
He settled out of court with Hayes’ family in 1998 following a wrongful death lawsuit by Hayes’ parents, according to the Washington Times.
The Suns bought out the remaining two years and $3.8 million remaining on Mustaf’s contract extension in 1994 following the murder, per the New York Times.
Hayes told Sports Illustrated that the accusations against him were “totally unfair” and helped keep him out of the league.
“Whether I was blackballed,” he told the publication, “isn’t even a question.”
K.C. Scull, the Phoenix prosecutor who had been assigned to the case, told Sports Illustrated that it pains him that he could not take it to trail.
“It’s one of my biggest regrets that I wasn’t allowed to try this case,” he said.
Mustaf dealt with further legal issues when he was charged with second-degree assault in 2001, according to the Washington Times.
He also allegedly assaulted and threatened a pregnant girlfriend during his college days, and years later fired a gun while in the presence of his pregnant girlfriend, per Sports Illustrated.
Later in life, Mustaf immersed himself in charitable work following his playing career.
He became the executive director of Take Charge, a non-profit program for youths.
“I will do whatever I can to clear my name to continue to live a meaningful life,” Mustaf said in 1996 while attempting to make the SuperSonics’ roster, according to the Seattle Times. “I want to improve relations between blacks and whites and Jews and others and I think I can.”
