Former NBA Player Marvin 'Bad News' Barnes Dead At 62

Former NBA player Marvin "Bad News" Barnes whose career was derailed by substance abuse dies at age 62.

Barnes who led Providence to the NCAA Final Four in 1973 was a 6-foot-9 centre who teamed with fellow NBA stars Ernie DiGregorio and Kevin Stacom to lead David Gavitt's Friars to a 28-4 record in the 1972-1973 season, which ended with a loss to Memphis State in the NCAA semifinals.

"Marvin will always be remembered as one of the greatest Friars of all-time," Providence A.D. Bob Driscoll said in a statement released by the Providence Journal.

During the 1973-1974 campaign, Barnes was a consensus All-American leading the NCAA with 18.7 rebounds per game.

In 1974, he was drafted no. 2 by Philadelphia but he opted to sign in the American Basketball Association (ABA) with the Spirits of St. Louis. In 1975, Barnes was the ABA Rookie of the Year with 15.6 rebounds and 24 points.

In the 1976 ABA dispersal draft to the National Basketball Association (NBA), he was taken fourth by the Pistons while Moses Malone went fifth to Portland.

In 1980, he was out of the NBA where he averaged just 9.2 points and 5.5 rebounds per game. His retirement was attributed to heavy drug use during his career.

During the course of his career, Barnes had a number of run-ins with the law and a couple of stints in the drug rehab. He was arrested for trespassing, burglary, and gun and drug possession.

In 2008, Providence retired his jersey.

"He struggled with his demons, but he was a great friend," Stacom told the Providence Journal. "He was a great talent and a great teammate, but most of all he was our friend."

Battling several years of drug addiction, Barnes died at the age of 62 in his home in Providence. Thus far, there are no details on the cause of death.

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