what happened to eric montross

Eric Montross, a beloved former University of North Carolina Tar Heels basketball star and NBA center, passed away on December 17, 2023, at age 52 after battling cancer.

His Basketball Legacy

Montross was a key player for UNC from 1990-1994, starting as center during their 1993 NCAA national championship win. He earned first-team All-ACC honors that year, plus All-America recognition as a senior, and helped lead the team with standout tournament play. Drafted ninth overall by the Boston Celtics in 1994, he played eight NBA seasons across teams like Boston, Dallas, New Jersey, Philadelphia, Detroit, and Toronto, averaging 4.5 points and 4.6 rebounds in 465 games before retiring in 2003 due to a chronic foot injury.

Cancer Battle and Final Years

Diagnosed in March 2023, Montross fought the disease with the same grit that defined his career, stepping away from his role as a Tar Heel Sports Network radio analyst (a position he held for 18 seasons) to focus on treatment. He also served as senior major gifts director for UNC's Rams Club, raising funds for scholarships, and supported UNC Lineberger Cancer Center and Children's Hospital initiatives. Surrounded by his wife Laura, children Sarah, Andrew, and Megan at their Chapel Hill home, he received widespread love from the basketball community during his illness.

Tributes and Impact

UNC Athletics called him a "profoundly saddening" loss, praising his faith, family devotion, and ambassadorship for the university. Chancellor Kevin Guskiewicz and coach Hubert Davis shared personal grief, noting his kindness, humor, and Tar Heel passion—Davis said simply, "I miss him." Sports media remembered him as a "gentle giant," with forums like Reddit's r/CollegeBasketball echoing shock at his early death.

"To know Eric was to be his friend, and the ripples from the generous, thoughtful way that he lived his life will continue." – Montross family statement

No major updates have emerged since 2023; his story remains a poignant reminder of his on- and off-court grace.

TL;DR: Eric Montross died of cancer in December 2023 at 52, leaving a legacy as UNC champ, NBA vet, and community pillar.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.