ATLANTA, Aug. 7 (UPI) -- Former Atlanta Hawks all-star forward Dan Roundfield drowned while trying to save his wife during a vacation in Aruba, the team said Tuesday. He was 59.
Local officials said Roundfield died attempting to rescue his wife Bernadette, who had gotten into trouble Monday while swimming at Baby Beach on the Caribbean Island's southeast end, The Aruba Herald reported.
Witnesses told authorities Roundfield's wife returned to shore, but the ex-player was swept out to sea. Searchers later found his body among some rocks, the newspaper said.
Roundfield was selected to three NBA All-Star teams while playing for the Hawks from 1978-1984. He spent 11 seasons in the NBA, playing for Indiana (1976-78), Detroit (1984-85) and Washington (1985-87) in addition to Atlanta.
Besides his wife, Roundfield is survived by his sons Christopher and Corey, and their grandchildren.
"Danny represented the Hawks with dignity and pride both on and off the court, and this is a tragic loss for us all," Hawks General Manager Danny Ferry said.
"Danny's one of my closest friends and he was a tremendous influence on my NBA career, on and off the court," added former teammate Dominique Wilkins.
