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Gerald Paddio, Former UNLV Standout and NBA Veteran, Dies at 60 in Louisiana Crash

Deputies say the single-vehicle wreck near Rayne remains under investigation after they detailed how his car left the road and hit a culvert.

Overview

  • Paddio, 60, was pronounced dead at the scene after Saturday's single-vehicle crash outside Rayne, Louisiana, according to the Acadia Parish Sheriff's Office.
  • Investigators said his car left the roadway for reasons still under review, struck a roadside culvert, and ejected him, with no additional details released yet.
  • A key figure in UNLV’s 1987 Final Four run, he hit four second-half threes in the Elite Eight against Iowa and also sank a famed buzzer-beater over Temple at Madison Square Garden.
  • He played 129 NBA games for five teams, including the Cavaliers and SuperSonics, and averaged 5.5 points per game after being drafted 74th overall in 1988.
  • After the NBA, he spent about a decade in pro leagues overseas, later worked as a motivational speaker, and returned to his home state of Louisiana.