Eric Walfred Anderson (May 26, 1970 – December 9, 2018)[1] was an American basketball player. He played college basketball for the Indiana Hoosiers and played two seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA) for the New York Knicks.

Eric Anderson

Personal information
Born	(1970-05-26)May 26, 1970 Chicago, Illinois
Died	December 9, 2018(2018-12-09) (aged 48) Carmel, Indiana
Nationality	American
Listed height	6 ft 9 in (2.06 m)
Listed weight	220 lb (100 kg)
Career information
High school	St. Francis de Sales (Chicago, Illinois)
College	Indiana (1988–1992)
NBA draft	1992 / Undrafted
Playing career	1992–1998
Position	Power forward
Number	42
Career history
1992–1994	New York Knicks
1994–1995	Andorra
1995–1996	Fort Wayne Fury
1996	Cagiva Varese
1996	Galatasaray
1996–1997	Faber Fabriano
1997–1998	Fort Wayne Fury
Career highlights and awards
First-team All-Big Ten (1991) Big Ten Newcomer of the Year (1989) McDonald's All-American (1988) Second-team Parade All-American (1988) Fourth-team Parade All-American (1987) Illinois Mr. Basketball (1988)
Stats  at NBA.com
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com
Medals Men’s Basketball Representing  United States Summer Universiade 1991 Sheffield National team

Amateur career

Anderson attended St. Francis de Sales High School on Chicago's far southeast side and was named 1988's Mr. Basketball for the state of Illinois as well as a McDonald's All-American in the same year.[2][3] He appears in one scene in the documentary Hoop Dreams.

Anderson then enrolled at Indiana University Bloomington, where he played for the Hoosiers while studying sociology.[2] He was named Most Outstanding Player of 1992 NCAA Tournament's West Regional after helping lead Indiana to the Final Four. He completed his college career with 1,715 points and 825 rebounds.[4][5]

Professional career

Anderson signed with the New York Knicks for the 1992–93 NBA season as an undrafted free agent. As the team's twelfth man, he played only 44 total minutes in sixteen games, and 39 minutes in eleven games the following season before being waived. He received a loud ovation by fans when inserted in the final six minutes of the Knicks' 114–79 home blowout over the Boston Celtics on February 2, 1994, in which he went scoreless with four personal fouls while the Knicks bench later stood and cheered his drawing an offensive foul.[6] Anderson held NBA career averages of 1.6 points and 1.1 rebounds, and 2-for-2 on three-point field goals.[7] He spent the remainder of his career playing in Europe and with the Fort Wayne Fury of the Continental Basketball Association until retiring in 1998.

Personal life

Anderson was married to fitness guru Tracy Anderson from 1998 to 2008 and had a son named Sam.[8]

Death

Anderson died on December 9, 2018, in Carmel, Indiana.[1] An autopsy was conducted, and preliminary findings suggested that he died of natural causes.[3]

References