Malik Sealy
Encyclopedia
Malik Sealy was an American
professional basketball
player, active from 1992 until his death in an automobile accident at the age of 30. Sealy played eight seasons in the National Basketball Association
(NBA) for the Indiana Pacers
, Los Angeles Clippers
, Detroit Pistons
and Minnesota Timberwolves
.
A native of the Bronx
, New York
, Sealy was named after noted African-American social activist Malik Shabazz
, better known as Malcolm X, for whom Sealy's father had been a bodyguard
. Sealy played college basketball
at St. John's University, and was selected by the Indiana Pacers
as the 14th overall pick of the 1992 NBA Draft
. When he was a rookie, he lost his playbook, which was turned over to WFAN radio personality Don Imus
.
Over the course of his NBA career, Sealy averaged 10.1 points per game in 23.8 minutes. His final season's highlights included his making a game-winning reverse putback shot at the buzzer against the Orlando Magic
on December 29, 1999 which gave the Timberwolves a 107-105 road win. He also made a game-winning 3-pointer off the glass as time expired in a 101-100 Timberwolves win over the Indiana Pacers
on January 17, 2000.
Sealy was also an aspiring actor, and had a major role as the talented but selfish basketball player 'Stacey Patton' in the 1996 motion picture
Eddie
starring Whoopi Goldberg
. He also made appearances on TV shows such as The Sentinel
and Diagnosis: Murder
. In addition to this, Sealy designed ties and clothing and owned "Malik Sealy XXI, Inc."
Sealy was killed in St. Louis Park, Minnesota
on May 20, 2000. He was driving home from a birthday celebration for teammate and best friend Kevin Garnett
in downtown Minneapolis when his sport utility vehicle
was struck by a pickup truck traveling the wrong way down the highway. The truck was driven by 43-year-old Souksangouane Phengsene, who survived the accident with head and chest injuries. Neither driver was wearing a seatbelt. Phengsene's airbag
deployed, but Sealy's SUV did not have one.
Blood tests indicated that at the time of the accident, Phengsene had been driving drunk; his blood alcohol content
was 0.19%. The legal limit in Minnesota at the time was 0.1%. He pled guilty to a charge of vehicular manslaughter, was given a four-year prison term, and was released from prison in 2003.
Although his plea bargain
in Sealy's death had not included a conviction specifically on the charge of driving while intoxicated, Phengsene had been convicted of drunken driving in a separate incident three years prior to his fatal collision with Sealy. After his release from prison, Phengsene was convicted of drunken driving in a new incident in 2006. After serving a year in a workhouse on that conviction, he was freed and then was arrested and convicted of drunken driving yet again in 2008. This latest conviction garnered him an eight-year prison sentence.
In Sealy's honor, the Minnesota Timberwolves
retired his #2 jersey. http://www.insidehoops.com/nba-retired-numbers.shtml Kevin Garnett
also paid a tribute to him, having written "2MALIK" in the inside of the tongue on the Adidas
Garnett 3 shoes. Sealy was buried in Ferncliff Cemetery
, the same cemetery as the slain civil rights leader for whom he was named.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
professional basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
player, active from 1992 until his death in an automobile accident at the age of 30. Sealy played eight seasons in the National Basketball Association
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
(NBA) for the Indiana Pacers
Indiana Pacers
The Indiana Pacers are a professional basketball team based in Indianapolis, Indiana. They are members of the Central Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association...
, Los Angeles Clippers
Los Angeles Clippers
The Los Angeles Clippers are a professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California, United States. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association...
, Detroit Pistons
Detroit Pistons
The Detroit Pistons are a franchise of the National Basketball Association based in Auburn Hills, Michigan. The team's home arena is The Palace of Auburn Hills. It was originally founded in Fort Wayne, Indiana as the Fort Wayne Pistons as a member of the National Basketball League in 1941, where...
and Minnesota Timberwolves
Minnesota Timberwolves
The Minnesota Timberwolves are an American professional basketball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . Founded in 1989, the team is currently owned by Glen Taylor...
.
A native of the Bronx
The Bronx
The Bronx is the northernmost of the five boroughs of New York City. It is also known as Bronx County, the last of the 62 counties of New York State to be incorporated...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, Sealy was named after noted African-American social activist Malik Shabazz
Malcolm X
Malcolm X , born Malcolm Little and also known as El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz , was an African American Muslim minister and human rights activist. To his admirers he was a courageous advocate for the rights of African Americans, a man who indicted white America in the harshest terms for its...
, better known as Malcolm X, for whom Sealy's father had been a bodyguard
Bodyguard
A bodyguard is a type of security operative or government agent who protects a person—usually a famous, wealthy, or politically important figure—from assault, kidnapping, assassination, stalking, loss of confidential information, terrorist attack or other threats.Most important public figures such...
. Sealy played college basketball
College basketball
College basketball most often refers to the USA basketball competitive governance structure established by the National Collegiate Athletic Association . Basketball in the NCAA is divided into three divisions: Division I, Division II and Division III....
at St. John's University, and was selected by the Indiana Pacers
Indiana Pacers
The Indiana Pacers are a professional basketball team based in Indianapolis, Indiana. They are members of the Central Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association...
as the 14th overall pick of the 1992 NBA Draft
1992 NBA Draft
The 1992 NBA Draft took place on June 24, 1992, in Portland, Oregon. At the time, the draft was considered to be one of the deepest drafts in NBA history. The top three picks were considered can't-miss prospects. O'Neal and Mourning are likely Hall of Famers...
. When he was a rookie, he lost his playbook, which was turned over to WFAN radio personality Don Imus
Don Imus
John Donald "Don" Imus, Jr. is an American radio host, humorist, philanthropist and writer. His nationally-syndicated talk show, Imus in the Morning, is broadcast throughout the United States by Citadel Media and relayed on television by the Fox Business Network.-Personal life:Imus was born in...
.
Over the course of his NBA career, Sealy averaged 10.1 points per game in 23.8 minutes. His final season's highlights included his making a game-winning reverse putback shot at the buzzer against the Orlando Magic
Orlando Magic
The Orlando Magic is a professional basketball team based in Orlando, Florida. They play in the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association and are currently coached by Stan Van Gundy...
on December 29, 1999 which gave the Timberwolves a 107-105 road win. He also made a game-winning 3-pointer off the glass as time expired in a 101-100 Timberwolves win over the Indiana Pacers
Indiana Pacers
The Indiana Pacers are a professional basketball team based in Indianapolis, Indiana. They are members of the Central Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association...
on January 17, 2000.
Sealy was also an aspiring actor, and had a major role as the talented but selfish basketball player 'Stacey Patton' in the 1996 motion picture
1996 in film
Major releases this year included Scream, Independence Day, Fargo, Trainspotting, The English Patient, Twister, Mars Attacks!, Jerry Maguire and a version of Evita starring Madonna.-Events:...
Eddie
Eddie (film)
Eddie is a 1996 comedy film starring Whoopi Goldberg and Frank Langella. It was a moderate success, grossing $31,387,164 in the US.The film was directed by Steve Rash.- Plot summary :...
starring Whoopi Goldberg
Whoopi Goldberg
Whoopi Goldberg is an American comedian, actress, singer-songwriter, political activist, author and talk show host.Goldberg made her film debut in The Color Purple playing Celie, a mistreated black woman in the Deep South. She received a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Actress and won...
. He also made appearances on TV shows such as The Sentinel
The Sentinel (TV series)
The Sentinel is a Canadian-produced television series that aired on UPN in the United States from 1996 to 1999. It premiered on March 20, 1996, and ran for 65 episodes . The series later reaired on Syfy.-Plot and characters:...
and Diagnosis: Murder
Diagnosis: Murder
Diagnosis: Murder is a mystery/medical/crime drama television series starring Dick Van Dyke as Dr. Mark Sloan, a medical doctor who solves crimes with the help of his son, a homicide detective played by his real-life son Barry Van Dyke. The series began as a spin-off of Jake and the Fatman...
. In addition to this, Sealy designed ties and clothing and owned "Malik Sealy XXI, Inc."
Sealy was killed in St. Louis Park, Minnesota
St. Louis Park, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 44,126 people, 20,782 households, and 10,557 families residing in the city. The population density was 4,122.5 persons per square mile . There were 21,140 housing units at an average density of 1,975.0 per square mile...
on May 20, 2000. He was driving home from a birthday celebration for teammate and best friend Kevin Garnett
Kevin Garnett
Kevin Maurice Garnett is an American professional basketball player who currently plays power forward for the Boston Celtics of the National Basketball Association . After a high school basketball career at Farragut Career Academy which included winning a national player of the year award, he...
in downtown Minneapolis when his sport utility vehicle
Sport utility vehicle
A sport utility vehicle is a generic marketing term for a vehicle similar to a station wagon, but built on a light-truck chassis. It is usually equipped with four-wheel drive for on- or off-road ability, and with some pretension or ability to be used as an off-road vehicle. Not all four-wheel...
was struck by a pickup truck traveling the wrong way down the highway. The truck was driven by 43-year-old Souksangouane Phengsene, who survived the accident with head and chest injuries. Neither driver was wearing a seatbelt. Phengsene's airbag
Airbag
An Airbag is a vehicle safety device. It is an occupant restraint consisting of a flexible envelope designed to inflate rapidly during an automobile collision, to prevent occupants from striking interior objects such as the steering wheel or a window...
deployed, but Sealy's SUV did not have one.
Blood tests indicated that at the time of the accident, Phengsene had been driving drunk; his blood alcohol content
Blood alcohol content
Blood alcohol content , also called blood alcohol concentration, blood ethanol concentration, or blood alcohol level is most commonly used as a metric of alcohol intoxication for legal or medical purposes....
was 0.19%. The legal limit in Minnesota at the time was 0.1%. He pled guilty to a charge of vehicular manslaughter, was given a four-year prison term, and was released from prison in 2003.
Although his plea bargain
Plea bargain
A plea bargain is an agreement in a criminal case whereby the prosecutor offers the defendant the opportunity to plead guilty, usually to a lesser charge or to the original criminal charge with a recommendation of a lighter than the maximum sentence.A plea bargain allows criminal defendants to...
in Sealy's death had not included a conviction specifically on the charge of driving while intoxicated, Phengsene had been convicted of drunken driving in a separate incident three years prior to his fatal collision with Sealy. After his release from prison, Phengsene was convicted of drunken driving in a new incident in 2006. After serving a year in a workhouse on that conviction, he was freed and then was arrested and convicted of drunken driving yet again in 2008. This latest conviction garnered him an eight-year prison sentence.
In Sealy's honor, the Minnesota Timberwolves
Minnesota Timberwolves
The Minnesota Timberwolves are an American professional basketball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . Founded in 1989, the team is currently owned by Glen Taylor...
retired his #2 jersey. http://www.insidehoops.com/nba-retired-numbers.shtml Kevin Garnett
Kevin Garnett
Kevin Maurice Garnett is an American professional basketball player who currently plays power forward for the Boston Celtics of the National Basketball Association . After a high school basketball career at Farragut Career Academy which included winning a national player of the year award, he...
also paid a tribute to him, having written "2MALIK" in the inside of the tongue on the Adidas
Adidas
Adidas AG is a German sports apparel manufacturer and parent company of the Adidas Group, which consists of the Reebok sportswear company, TaylorMade-Adidas golf company , and Rockport...
Garnett 3 shoes. Sealy was buried in Ferncliff Cemetery
Ferncliff Cemetery
Ferncliff Cemetery and Mausoleum is located on Secor Road in the hamlet of Hartsdale, town of Greenburgh, Westchester County, New York, about 25 miles north of Midtown Manhattan. It was founded in 1902, and is non-sectarian...
, the same cemetery as the slain civil rights leader for whom he was named.