Former Houston and Arkansas basketball player Reggie Chaney died Monday at the age of 23, according to multiple reports.
Chaney played five seasons of college basketball, including two for Arkansas from 2018-20 and three for Houston from ’20-23. Chaney was named the American Athletic Conference Sixth Man of the Year last season for the Cougars, averaging 3.0 points and 2.7 rebounds on 66.2% shooting. Chaney was known for his defensive prowess on a Houston team that went 33-4 last season.
Chaney was expected to play professionally in Greece for Psychiko B.C., according to the Houston Chronicle.
Chaney’s cause of death is not immediately known, but foul play isn’t suspected, according to the Chronicle.
A family friend discovered Chaney unresponsive at an apartment in Arlington, Texas, on Monday afternoon, and paramedics subsequently pronounced him dead at the scene.
We are heartbroken by the passing of forward Reggie Chaney
— Houston Men's Hoops 🏀 🐾 (@UHCougarMBK) August 22, 2023
#⃣3⃣2⃣ will be deeply missed by all who knew and loved him#RIPReggie pic.twitter.com/qzMTNm6GoG
In one of his final meetings with the press following Houston’s Sweet 16 loss to Miami in March, Chaney spoke about how much his teammates meant to him.
“The loss isn’t the biggest thing,” Chaney said. “Not seeing these guys every day, not playing with these guys on the court ever again, not putting the Houston jersey on, that’s what hurts really bad.”