Former Cavaliers and Pacers big man Brad Branson has passed away at age 67. No cause of death has been announced.
Branson, a 6-foot-10 forward and center, carved out a unique professional career that spanned the NBA, the Continental Basketball Association, and several international stops.
He was drafted by the Pistons in the second round of the 1980 draft and went on to play two NBA seasons, appearing with the Cavaliers in 1981-82 and the Pacers in 1982-83.
Though his NBA tenure was brief, Branson made a strong impression in the CBA, starring for the Anchorage Northern Knights during the 1981-82 season.
He earned CBA Newcomer of the Year honors, was named an All-Star, led the league in blocks, and took home All-Star Game MVP that year.
Former NBA center Steve Hayes, a teammate of Branson in Anchorage, remembered him fondly.
“Brad was my teammate with the Anchorage Northern Knights in the 1981–82 season and we both were named All-Stars,” Hayes wrote on Facebook. “Brad was named MVP of the game… He was a great friend and teammate. He will be missed.”
Branson later played overseas for clubs including Real Madrid and Pamesa Valencia, extending a career that lasted into the mid-1990s.
A native of Fort Myers, Florida, he played college basketball at Edison State and SMU.
A respected teammate. A global basketball lifer. And a name remembered by those who shared the floor with him.
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