Malik Sealy (February 1, 1970 – May 20, 2000) 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.

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 part 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%, more than twice the legal limit in Minnesota. He plead 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. [120877] 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.

Sealy is mentioned by rapper AZ in the song The Flyest from the Nas album Stillmatic with the lyrics "Feel me, I'm loved like the great late Malik Sealy."

Sealy is also mentioned by rap duo Gang Starr in their song "Eulogy" from the album "The Ownerz" with the lyrics "Korey Stringer, Malik Sealy, Boostin Kev, Edward Star, Nina Simone, Ann Jones "Rest in peace".

See also

• List of sports people who have died during their playing career

Notes

1. T'wolves' Sealy dies in car crash
2. Sealy dies in collision with pickup truck, May 22, 2000
3. " Malik Sealy's killer admits drinking 8 beers before latest arrest", Minneapolis Star Tribune
4. http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=3366023 ESPN - Drunken driver convicted in Sealy's death sentenced to eight years

External links

• Malik Sealy Statistics - Basketball-Reference.com
• Malik Sealy died on May 20, 2000.