Timberwolves Guard Malik Sealy Dies In Car Crash

Jet, June 5, 2000

Minnesota Timberwolves guard Malik Sealy was killed recently in a head-on car crash outside Minneapolis, according to newspaper reports.

Sealy, 30, died of head and chest injuries at the scene following the 4 a.m. crash with a driver of a Dodge pickup truck on Highway 100, north of a construction zone in suburban St. Louis Park. The pickup driver, Souksangouane Phengsene, 43, suffered head and chest injuries and was hospitalized in serious condition at press time.

Sealy was on his way home from the 24th birthday party for teammate Kevin Garnett. According to the Minnesota State Patrol, Sealy was driving his 1993 Range Rover south on the divided highway when Phengsene was traveling the wrong way in Sealy's lane and struck the sport utility vehicle, the New York Times reported.

Neither accident victim was wearing a seat belt, police said. An airbag deployed in the truck. Sealy's vehicle had no air bag.

State authorities were investigating whether alcohol was a factor because members of emergency crews indicated that Phengsene might have been drinking, the New York Times reported.

Following news of the fatal crash, Sealy's Minnesota teammates and their wives gathered at his suburban Minnesota home to comfort his wife, Lisa, and baby son, Malik Remington.

"This is a sudden and devastating loss to our team," said Kevin McHale, vice president of basketball operations, the Chicago Sun-Times reported. "Malik was one of the most popular players in our locker room, and one of the biggest reasons behind our turnaround and success this past season."

Sealy, who took over as the starting shooting guard late in the season, just completed his eighth NBA season and his second with the Timberwolves. He averaged 11.3 points in the regular season, and 12.5 in the playoffs.

Sealy is the second NBA player killed in a car accident this year.

Charlotte Hornets guard Bobby Phills died after a crash on Jan. 12 when he and teammate David Wesley were racing their Porsches at more than 100 mph after a morning practice (JET, Jan. 31).