UPDATE (10:15 p.m. ET): ESPN learned more details from police in Brazil about the circumstances surrounding former Syracuse and Boston Celtics center Fab Melo’s death, although there isn’t a known cause of death.
“Melo was found dead at his home in Juiz de Fora, in the state of Minas Gerais, Military Police in Brazil confirmed,” ESPN’s Jeff Goodman writes. “Melo went to bed on Friday night and was found dead Saturday morning by his mother, authorities there said.”
ORIGINAL STORY: The sports world lost a member way too soon Saturday.
Former Syracuse men’s basketball star and Boston Celtics first-round draft pick Fab Melo died in Brazil, a source confirmed with The New York Times’ Adam Zagoria. He was 26 years old.
After the news broke, ESPN spoke with Syracuse head coach Jim Boeheim about Melo’s passing.
“He was a really good kid, and it’s not fair that he will be defined by one thing, a 10-page paper,” Boeheim told ESPN. “He worked his tail off to become a really good player, and was a nice kid.”
He added: “We don’t know the cause yet. It’s so hard right now, so hard to believe. It’s a sad, sad day.”
The Brazil native played two seasons for Syracuse before being drafted No. 22 overall in 2012 by the C’s. He only played in six games for Boston, and he’s been playing professionally in Brazil since 2014.
Thumbnail photo via Jerome Miron/USA TODAY Sports Images
