Mark Eaton, the 7-foot-4 shot-blocking king who twice was the NBA’s defensive player of the year during an 11-year career spent entirely with the Utah Jazz, has died. He was 64.
The team said Saturday that Eaton was riding his bike in Summit County, Utah, on Friday night. Just before 8:30 p.m., passersby saw Eaton lying in the road after apparently crashing, according to the Summit County Sheriff’s Office. Officials said “there is no reason to believe a vehicle was involved in the incident,” the team said. He was taken to a hospital where he later died.
The Jazz described him in a statement as an “enduring figure in our franchise history” who had a “significant impact in the community after his basketball career.