Michael Sweetney , the former Georgetown standout and NBA player, died at age 43 on Sept. 16, according to ESPN. His wife, India Sweetney , announced his death in a Facebook post on Sept. 17, while ESPN reported that Sweetney was pronounced dead at Newark Beth Israel Medical Center in New Jersey. India Sweetney described Michael Sweetney as the heart of his family and said his children were his greatest joy. She also shared that the couple had been together for 30 years and married for nearly 20, calling him an irreplaceable husband, father, son, brother, and friend. A Basketball Legacy Cut Short Michael Sweetney entered the NBA in 2003 as the ninth overall pick, selected by the New York Knicks after his junior season at Georgetown. The 6 foot 8 power forward and center played for the Knicks through 2005 before joining the Chicago Bulls, where he remained until 2007. The Knicks and Bulls both issued tributes after Sweetney's death. In a 2017 interview with HoopsHype, Michael Sweetney also spoke candidly about depression during his early NBA years, describing the pressure of leaving Georgetown, losing his father, and struggling for playing time in New York. Sweetney later credited his family and friends with helping him rebuild his life and went on to work as an assistant coach at Yeshiva University.