Michael Wright, who was drafted by the Knicks in 2001 but never played in the NBA, was found dead in the backseat of a Lexus SUV in Brooklyn, N.Y. on Tuesday morning. According to police sources who spoke with the New York Daily News, Wright died of a gunshot wound to the head, and his body was covered with garbage bags when he was found. He was reportedly bipolar and police suspect he may have committed suicide.
After Wright was selected in the second round of the 2001 NBA Draft, he spent time playing overseas in Poland, Turkey, and, most recently, France. He left the French team he was playing for in February and had planned to return to Europe soon to continue playing, according to his cousin Randolph Berry, who spoke with the Chicago Sun-Times today. He had been living in Bergen County, N.J. since returning to the U.S. from France.
Wright played for Arizona before going pro, and the school sent out a message about him this afternoon:
Stay tuned for additional details. What a sad story.
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[via New York Daily News]
