Report: Former NBA player Rodney Rogers paralyzed

Dec 4, 2008 - 4:30 PM RALEIGH, North Carolina (Ticker) -- Former NBA player Rodney Rogers is paralyzed from the shoulders down as a result of an all-terrain vehicle accident, according to a report published Thursday in the News & Observer of Raleigh-Durham.

The newspaper cited an interview conducted Wednesday with former Wake Forest coach Dave Odom, who mentored Rogers during the forward's stellar four-year career with the Demon Deacons.

According to the report, the 37-year-old Rogers was riding in the woods last week in rural Vance County, just north of Raleigh, when he fell off his vehicle.

Rogers was recently transferred from Duke Hospital to Atlanta's Shepherd Center, which specialized in helping people rehabilitate from catastrophic injuries.

"Say a prayer for Rodney and his family," Odom told the News & Observer.

A 12-year NBA veteran, Rogers averaged 10.9 points and 4.5 rebounds in 866 career games with seven different teams. The 6-7 lefthander was named the NBA's Sixth Man of the Year in 1999-2000, when he averaged 13.8 points in 82 games with the Phoenix Suns.

The 1993 ACC Player of the Year, Rogers averaged 19.3 points and 7.9 rebounds in his four seasons at Wake Forest.