Sweetney, who played for the Hoyas, Knicks, Bulls, dies at 43 — SkimNews
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- Michael Sweetney died Wednesday at Newark Beth Israel Medical Center at age 43, with no cause of death disclosed; the Knicks, Bulls, and Georgetown all acknowledged his passing on social media.
- The New York Knicks selected Sweetney with the ninth overall pick in the 2003 NBA draft out of Georgetown, where he posted double-doubles in each of his final two college seasons — 19.0 points and 10.0 rebounds in 2001-02, then 22.8 points and 10.4 rebounds in 2002-03.
- Sweetney played for the Knicks from 2003 to 2005 and the Chicago Bulls from 2005 to 2007, finishing with career averages of 6.5 points and 4.5 rebounds across 233 games, including 73 starts.
- Sweetney ranks fifth in Georgetown history with 887 career rebounds, seventh with 180 career blocks, and ninth with 1,750 career points.
- After his NBA run, Sweetney became an assistant coach at Yeshiva University, a Division III school in New York.
- Yeshiva head coach Elliot Steinmetz called Sweetney 'a giant,' saying 'the basketball world lost a beloved star' and 'our Jewish community lost an ally and someone who knew exactly how to show up.'
Why it matters: Sweetney's death at 43 comes after a Georgetown career that placed him among the program's top 10 all-time in rebounds, blocks, and points — yet his NBA tenure lasted just four seasons. His later role as a Division III assistant coach at Yeshiva, where coach Elliot Steinmetz called him both 'a giant' and a Jewish community ally, shows his impact extended well beyond his modest pro averages.
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