Phills agreed, and a couple weeks later, he approached the coach. I dont know who was at fault. "This is the ultimate tragedy, and our immediate thoughts and You even have thoughts here he was with a family and everything. Phills said he had about six. [5] The drivers of the other two vehicles recovered, while Phills was pronounced dead at the scene. Woolard, an insurance adjuster and appraiser and native North Carolinian, had just finished inspecting one vehicle and was headed uptown to check out another. Wesley was later convicted of reckless driving for his part in the incident. He was known as a defensive stopper,[2] averaging 1.3 steals per game for his career, and an excellent perimeter shooter, with a 39.0% career three-point shooting percentage. I knew if I could just get on the court after it happened, that it would give me a moments peace, even if it was only five minutes, Wesley said. He was exceptionally strong, and while coaches and general managers debated whether he was a shooting guard or a small forward, Phills merely transformed himself into one of the game's most menacing defenders. I went through the motions for the next couple years, but eventually, I got out, he said. Cavaliers president Wayne Embry gave Phills his start in the NBA [4], On January 12, 2000, while a member of the Charlotte Hornets, Phills was killed in a car accident in Charlotte, North Carolina. He was fourth on the team in scoring this season with 13.6 points per game. Obsessing over everything that went wrong against Milwaukee wasnt good for the teams psyche. But with all the things he had going for him, he made one stupid mistake and it cost him his life.. Witnesses said teammate David Wesley, driving another car at the scene, also may have been speeding, police spokesman Keith Bridges said. NBA postpones Hornets' game Friday vs. Knicks, Phills remembered for his strong character, Phills' death compounds Carolina's misery. After the dawn jog, she came home and took their son to school, where she remained for an hour or so, chatting with other parents. Phills was traveling behind teammate David Wesley at over 100mph (160km/h) when his Porsche spun and crossed into oncoming traffic. The new coach was close with Phills, whom Charlotte had signed to a seven-year, $33 million contract in 1997. Phills was killed instantly Wednesday morning when he lost control of his speeding Porsche and it crashed head-on into another vehicle. A female passenger was hurt in that collision with a tractor-trailer. I was devastated.. The two other drivers were hospitalized and listed in stable condition. He said Phillss death would haunt him for the rest of his life. That's 107 m.p.h. "He had extreme high character. He recalled only two players who had never turned down requests to appear at charitable events. In December 1998, Wesley was charged with driving 79 mph in a [5], Phills was survived by his parents, his wife Kendall, and three children; a daughter Brittany Dickson, a son Bobby Ray Phills III, known as Trey and a daughter Kerstie. The older you get, the more you appreciate people like him. [7], The Hornets retired Phills' #13 jersey on February 9, 2000, during halftime of a game vs. Phills' former team, the Cavaliers. His Porsche veered into oncoming traffic and crashed into two other vehicles. From nowhere, a voice popped into her head: Bobby is dead. I was on the phone with my wife at the time, and I said, Oh my gosh, Bobby just got in an accident. I turned around. For a rookie like myself, he was the veteran guy that you patterned yourself after. Two days later, members of the Hornets and Knicks attended Phillss memorial service. crash investigation, probably sometime next week. There had been an accident. Phills and teammate David Wesley were racing each. Athleticism. But him and David Wesley, they were driving at each other, just zooming, Silas said. Before long, Jobe noticed slips of paper arriving under his office door Phills had begun charting his daily makes and misses. everyone respected and admired. The family referred to Bobby Phills as Rob. Cameras filmed a frozen Wesley standing a few feet from Phills's car, in obvious shock. No charges have been filed against Wesley, who was driving a Minutes earlier, Phills and the other players A few days after being charged, Wesley made his first public statement about the incident. Trey gained statewide recognition in North Carolina while playing for Charlotte Christian School. Leave him alone. Phills graduated with a 3.2 GPA and a degree in animal science. Develop a romance with the ball. Phills, 30, was leaving a team practice at the Charlotte Coliseum about 11 a.m. Wednesday when he lost control of his car less than a mile from the arena. He has assists. This season, as a senior, Trey led Charlotte Christian to a 20-9 record, the highlight of which was a breathtaking game winner Trey scored against Charlotte Country Day. The fans offered the family an extended ovation. The day of the accident, Miller had returned to the Hornets practice facility after shootaround to lift weights. If you had five minutes to spare for Phills, he had 10 minutes for you. His Hornets teammates. Tests showed he was legally drunk. family background. Manage Settings As an assistant, Silas had often run Phills through drills during training sessions. You always thought you had something to prove, said Wesley, who made his career as a strong, table-setting point guard. There was none of the normal jabbering among players. I wanted him to be as idealistic as I thought I was.. On the morning of January 12, 2000, the Hornets had just finished a morning shootaround. He had stopped at a red light, turned left, and then approached the scene. Coleman was arrested on a drunken driving charge. Kevin Garnett reflects on the life of former teammate and friend Malik Sealy. By: News On 6. Listed in stable condition at Presbyterian Hospital were Robert Woolard Jr., 31, of Cornelius, the driver of the other car; and Yao Agbegbon, 33, of Charlotte, who was driving a minivan taxi, Bridges said. After Silas was named interim coach, Phills asked him, Coach, you want to keep this job? Silas answered yes, and Phills told him, OK, youre going to have it. Phills encouraged his teammates to dig in and finish the 50-game season strong, and Charlotte went 22-13 under Silas that year, good enough for the Hornets to name him the full-timehead coach. When the Hornets moved to New Orleans, his retired jersey went. When Minnesotas Malik Sealy died in a car accident the same year as Phills, she offered Sealys widow, Lisa, both financial and emotional support. Standing a chiseled 6 feet 5 inches and 232 pounds, Phills looked more like a National Football League linebacker or a sculpted bodybuilder than a lithe N.B.A. 13 remains the only number to be retired by the team. Of course, when I found out who it was, I started doubting myself, Woolard said. Phills Educational Foundation.". Trey, a 6-foot-1 guard, recently finished his high school career at Charlotte Christian, the same school that produced Steph and Seth Curry. What you doing? Dwayne asked. Friends, teammates, and family remember the career, legacy, and tragic death of former Charlotte Hornets guard Bobby Phills. Bobby Phills was everybodys son, Ben Jobe, Phillss coach at Southern University and A&M College, said recently. Phills, a 6-foot-5 defensive stopper and a team leader, was one of the Hornets top reserves. The accident happened after a morning Hornets practice on a roadnear the Charlotte Coliseum. The Hornets' guard lost control of his 1997 Porsche 993 Cabriolet and collided head-on with a vehicle heading towards him. Bobby and Kendall Phills had two children, both of whom went on to play college basketball. While there, Phills Sr. had slipped off a deck and fallen into a lake near Bobbys home. Jobe told Phills he wouldnt check to make sure Phills took his daily shots, but the coach would be able to tell if Phills put in the work by the time practice resumed in the fall. Cavaliers President Wayne Embry gave Phills his start in the NBA by signing the guard to a 10-day contract. Wesley, the Hornets' starting point guard, has refused to talk to police, Phills, 30, was killed in an automobile accident Wednesday morning. Hes got a great sense of the game, understanding his athleticism as well, and his poise on the floor, said Yale coach James Jones. I was always told: Dont fall in love with the horses talking about the players. Bridges said Phills' 1997 convertible, with the vanity plate She just completed her junior season and is being pursued by several top colleges. He watched Kendall experience such pride and sorrow at center court, and when shed finished speaking, Henderson walked out to Kendall and embraced her. Over his nine-year career, he averaged 11.0 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 2.7 assists per game. I was up the street a good ways, and [when I got back] he was no longer with us., Phills and Wesley had both signed lengthy contracts with the Hornets in the summer of 1997. We believed in offense first, defense second, he said. Do you know why you were able to do that without even seeing your feet and shoes? Jobe asked. He heard the name Phills. A jolt of recognition hit Woolard: Oh my gosh. posted speed was 45 mph. ", Active in the community, Phills volunteered for children's charities and related organizations. Police said his car collided head-on with a vehicle headed to the arena. Listed in stable condition at Presbyterian Hospital were Robert Woolard Jr., 31, of Cornelius, the driver of the other car; and Yao Agbegbon, 33, of Charlotte, who was driving a minivan taxi, Bridges said. I often ask myself, Phills Sr. said, or ask God: Why did he spare me and three weeks later take my sons life?, I probably cried every day for the next two years, Dwayne Phills said. She was grateful for the Hornets organizations support. Brewer noticed, too: He had the skills because he worked on it, so when he became older, now hes not that skinny little boy anymore. Dazed, Woolard gazed into the Porsche. He led the NCAA in three-point field goals per game (4.39) his senior year. This gave Silas some hope, and he approached the car. The important thing is for him to go there and graduate and do the things that his daddy did not do.. "Not only was Bobby a tremendous person, but a great husband, father and role model that everyone respected and admired. Continue with Recommended Cookies, Charlotte Hornets Bobby Phills Killed In Car Crash Brief Article Obituary. We and our partners use data for Personalised ads and content, ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development. Ill go through the photo albums. He was our guy, and he was going to a better place.. Bobby Phills of the Charlotte Hornets was killed recently in a car crash shortly after a morning practice at the team's arena. Woolard loved cars all types and he noticed a black Porsche on Tyvola. Jobe viewed Phills as a bench player, someone with high grades who could raise the teams collective grade point average. Those guys were Bobby Phills and Muggsy Bogues, he said. He gets steals. to court records. The finality of it didntcross his mind until Kendall called again and he heard the words, Hes dead., That moment just sat in my mind, Dwayne said. He had a way of making you feel like you were one of his best friends, when maybe you were just a friend, Wesley said. Bobby Phills, the Charlotte Hornets guard who parlayed a 10-day contract into a nine-year National Basketball Association career and who was once called by Michael Jordan the toughest defender. Some of the coaches tried to restrain her. He was going to play ball again, Jovanovic said recently. team will have a moment of silence for Phills before their home games. Police said he was driving drunk. Kendall hoped to see her husbands legacy return to an NBA arena when New Orleans changed its name to the Pelicans last season. CHARLOTTE - Charlotte Hornets guard Bobby Phills was speeding in his Porsche after practice Wednesday when he lost control, crashed into a car and died instantly. Thats the Bobby I know.. The other driver was slumped, unmoving, blood trickling from his nose. After the game, Brewer approached the boys mother, Kendall Phills. He had all the things that you want in a human being. See the article in its original context from. TimesMachine is an exclusive benefit for home delivery and digital subscribers. It will not happen again.. reserve. He trailed Phills and Wesley on Tyvola by less than a minute. Bobby Phills had always wanted to be an All-Star, she said. On February 9, 2000, in a game against Phills' former team, the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Hornets retired his number 13 . Now take your shoes and socks off, Jobe said, [and then] put them back on just the way you took them off. Phills did just that. When a salary dispute led to Cowenss sudden resignation in 1999, Silas inherited the top job. the accident scene. By the time she returned home, Bobby had left for shootaround. Jobe asked how many points Phills had scored. [Those] were a couple of things that sparked our attention. Meanwhile, younger sister Kerstie is on the same track. David just didnt want to play, Silas recalled. Claude Mills, the father of Phills's former teammate, Chris Mills, was called soon after the accident by Baron Davis, the Hornets' rookie point guard.
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