Hank Gathers

Hank Gathers

Gathers in 1990
Personal information
Born	(1967-02-11)February 11, 1967 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Died	March 4, 1990(1990-03-04) (aged 23) Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Listed height	6 ft 7 in (2.01 m)
Listed weight	210 lb (95 kg)
Career information
High school	Dobbins Technical (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)
College	USC (1985–1986) Loyola Marymount (1987–1990)
Position	Power forward
Number	44
Career highlights and awards
Consensus second-team All-American (1990) Second-team All-American – USBWA (1989) Third-team All-American – AP, UPI (1989) NCAA season scoring leader (1989) NCAA season rebounding leader (1989) WCC Player of the Year (1989) 3× First-team All-WCC (1988–1990) 2× WCC tournament MVP (1988, 1989) No. 44 retired by Loyola Marymount Lions

Eric Wilson "Hank" Gathers Jr.^[1] (February 11, 1967 – March 4, 1990) was an American college basketball player for the Loyola Marymount Lions in the West Coast Conference (WCC). As a junior in 1989, he became the second player in NCAA Division I history to lead the nation in scoring and rebounding in the same season. Gathers was a consensus second-team All-American as a senior in 1990. His No. 44 was retired by the Lions, who also placed a statue of him in his honor outside their home arena Gersten Pavilion.

Gathers began his college career with the USC Trojans, but transferred with teammate Bo Kimble to Loyola Marymount after his freshman year. Playing under Lions coach Paul Westhead and his fast-paced system, Gathers was a three-time first-team All-WCC selection. In his first season with the Lions, he earned the first of two consecutive most valuable player (MVP) honors in the WCC tournament. As a junior, he was named the WCC Player of the Year and began receiving All-American recognition. Early in his senior year in 1989–90, Gathers was diagnosed with an abnormal heartbeat after he collapsed during a game. He was placed on medication and returned a few weeks later, but he initially struggled, which he attributed to his medication. The dosage was gradually decreased, and his play recovered. Gathers died at age 23 after collapsing for the second time that season during the semifinals of the 1990 WCC tournament.