How Did Mike Sweetney Die? Former Top Knicks Draft Pick and Georgetown Standout Dies Suddenly Aged 43
Mike Sweetney, the former Georgetown standout selected by the Knicks with the No. 9 overall pick in the 2003 NBA Draft, has died at the age of 43. His wife, India, announced his death in a Facebook post Thursday. “With the heaviest hearts, we are deeply saddened to announce the passing of our beloved Michael,” India wrote.
“To know Mike Sweetney was love to him. No one loved him more and he loved no one more than his family. His children were the light of his life, and he lived every day to give them the best life possible,” India continued with the emotional and heartbreaking message of Sweetney’s death.
Gone too Soon
“He’s been my best friend for 30 years and my husband for almost 20. I’m not sure what we or I will do without him,” she added. No cause of death has been given. India had recently launched a GoFundMe campaign with a $10,000 goal, accompanied by a brief message that read, “God Bless and thank you.”
“He was the best son, brother, family member, friend, father and husband ANYONE could ask for,” India wrote. “We appreciate every call and text of love and support. We just asked that right now You give us all a little time before you start to reach out because it’s been pretty overwhelming. Thank you and God bless.”
Sweetney dealt with weight problems throughout his NBA career. He spent two seasons with the Knicks and improved during his second year, averaging 8.4 points and 5.4 rebounds per game.
Sweetney was traded to the Bulls that offseason in a deal that sent Eddy Curry and Antonio Davis to New York.
After spending two seasons in Chicago, the Washington, D.C., native continued his basketball career overseas. He played in China, Puerto Rico and South America before retiring in 2017.
Troubled Career
Sweetney later turned to coaching, joining Yeshiva University in New York City as an assistant coach in 2019. “The world lost a giant today. I lost a close friend,” Yeshiva head coach Elliot Steinmetz wrote on X. “The basketball world lost a beloved star. Our Jewish community lost an ally and someone who knew exactly how to show up.
“Mike Sweetney wasn’t just a friend. He was family. When you needed him, he was there. Always. You didn’t even have to ask.”
In June, Sweetney spoke with The New York Post’s Stefan Bondy about overcoming past struggles with anxiety and mental health after falling short of the expectations placed on him as a high draft pick in New York.
He also revealed that the Knicks had invited him to three games during the past season, when the team was pursuing its first championship in 53 years.
“It means a lot,” Sweetney, who had relocated to New Jersey five years earlier, said. “I didn’t have the career I could have had. But for them to have me back and welcome me with open arms.”
Sweetney had already proved himself as a standout at Georgetown before joining the Knicks. During his junior year, he averaged nearly 23 points per game and was among the finalists for the Player of the Year Award.
