#2 - Malik Sealy
Malik Sealy was tragically killed in an automobile accident on May 20, 2000, cutting short the life of a young man beloved in the Twin Cities and across the country for far more than his on-court skills.
A true professional in every sense of the word, Sealy was actively involved in a wide variety of charitable organizations, including serving on the boards of Wheelchair Charities, Inc., and the Bronx Police Athletic League. He was a regular visitor to the Ronald McDonald House in Minneapolis and took on an active role in various school programs. He also ran basketball clinics in conjunction with the Refugee Project at the Camp Hill Summer Program in North Carolina.
A self-described “Renaissance Man,” Sealy was much more than a basketball player. He started a men's accessories company, Malik Sealy XXI, Inc., designing and selling neckties. He also opened Baseline Recording Studios in Manhattan in the Spring of 2000 and enjoyed acting, having a significant role in the movie “Eddie” as well as making guest appearances on television's “The Sentinel” and “Diagnosis Murder.”
A member of the Minnesota Timberwolves during the 1998-99 and 1999-00 seasons, Sealy's last season with the Wolves was perhaps the finest of his eight-year NBA career. He played in all 82 games, the last 60 as a starter, averaging 11.3 points per game and helping the Timberwolves to their first 50-win season. The photo of Sealy lying on his back after hitting a three at the buzzer to beat Indiana on January 17, 2000 remains one of the most iconic images in Timberwolves history.
Prior to the Wolves home opener vs. Sacramento on November 4, 2000, the Timberwolves raised Sealy's No. 2 jersey to the rafters in memory of a great person, player and teammate. It remains the only retired jersey in Timberwolves history.