Wendell Ladner

Wendell Larry Ladner (1948 to 1975) was an American professional basketball player best known for his five seasons in the American Basketball Association between 1970 and 1975. Born in Necaise Crossing, Mississippi, he played high school basketball at Hancock North Central High School and college ball at the University of Southern Mississippi. Undrafted in 1970, he played forward for four ABA teams, including Memphis twice, and at 6 ft 5 in and 220 pounds he became one of the league's more notorious enforcers, protecting stars such as Dan Issel and Julius Erving. He made the 1971 ABA All-Rookie Team, played in the ABA All-Star Game as a rookie and scored a career-high 34 points on January 24, 1971. Ladner was killed at age 26 in the crash of Eastern Air Lines Flight 66 on June 24, 1975, the only ABA player to die during his career. The New York Nets left his number 4 unissued for years as a tribute.