Wake Forest Basketball Legend Rodney Rogers Passes Away

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. — Wake Forest Athletics is mourning the loss of Rodney Rogers, a legendary member of the Demon Deacons and a member of the Wake Forest Sports Hall of Fame, who passed away on November 21, 2025. Rogers, a native of Durham, North Carolina, was not only recognized as a transformative player but also celebrated for his courage and generosity.

Rogers is survived by his wife, Faye, his daughter Roddreka, who serves as an assistant coach for Georgia State women’s basketball, his son Rodney Rogers II, and his daughter Rydeiah, a former NC State basketball player. Known as the ‘Durham Bull’ throughout his high school career, he brought that power to Wake Forest, elevating the men’s basketball program during the 1990s.

Rogers made a significant impact as a freshman, earning ACC Freshman of the Year honors in 1991, which led the Demon Deacons to their first NCAA Tournament appearance in seven years. He followed with a First Team All-ACC selection in 1992 and was named ACC Player of the Year and a First Team All-American in 1993, after guiding Wake Forest to the Sweet 16.

He remains unique in ACC history as the only Demon Deacon and one of just seven players to claim both ACC Freshman of the Year and ACC Player of the Year honors. After his junior year, he declared for the NBA Draft and was selected ninth overall by the Denver Nuggets in 1993, marking the program’s highest draft position in over three decades.

During his 12-year NBA career, Rogers averaged 11 points per game and earned the NBA Sixth Man of the Year award. In 2008, an accident left him paralyzed from the shoulders down, yet he remained a source of inspiration to many. He established the Rodney Rogers Foundation to support those with spinal cord injuries and promote resilience and hope.

His achievements were recognized in 2022 with the Distinguished Alumni Award and an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters from Wake Forest University. In a lasting tribute, his No. 54 jersey hangs in the rafters of Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum, a testament to his remarkable contributions to the program.

Wake Forest Athletics has extended its deepest condolences to the Rogers family and all those who were touched by Rodney’s extraordinary life and spirit.