Earlier this month, we learned that Jacqueline Cruz, the mother of NBA All-Star Karl-Anthony Towns, lost her battle with COVID-19. And as the virus continues to infiltrate the basketball community, the New York Post reports that the mother and brother of former NBA player Sebastian Telfair have also died from the illness.
From the New York Post:
Erica Telfair, the mother of former NBA and Abraham Lincoln High School star Sebastian Telfair, died early Monday after battling the virus, although her official cause of death is unknown. She was 64.
Her passing comes after her son and Sebastian’s older brother, Dan Turner, died March 28 from COVID-19. Former Lincoln head coach Dwayne “Tiny” Morton confirmed both deaths.
On March 28, Sebastian’s brother, Ethan Telfair, took to Twitter to mourn the loss of Turner.
“Today I lost my big brother and it’s ripping my heart and spirit apart,” he tweeted. “I love you so much and I don’t know how I’m going to get over this. Rest In Peace Dan 💔 My heart is exploding.”
On Monday, Ethan offered similar condolences to his mother.
“Rest in peace, Mommy,” he tweeted. “Until we meet again, my angel.”
In 2004, Sebastian became the first point guard to make the leap from high school to the NBA when he was drafted 13th overall by the Portland Trail Blazers. While he never realized his tantalizing potential as a prospect, he enjoyed a lengthy 10-year NBA career before playing overseas in China.
As has been widely reported, with almost 300,000 confirmed cases and nearly 18,000 deaths, New York has become the epicenter of the COVID-19 outbreak in the United States. Efforts to flatten the curve by enforcing social distancing have helped to contain the spread of the virus, but New York City’s dense population continues to make its residents susceptible to its transmission.
Our thoughts and prayers are with the Telfair family.