Former UGA, NBA Star Kessler Dies At 40

Alec Kessler, a Roswell High and UGA basketball star who played four seasons for the Miami Heat before becoming an orthopedic surgeon, died after collapsing during a pickup game. He was 40.

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He appeared to have had a heart attack Saturday in Pensacola, Fla., and was pronounced dead a short time later, the University of Georgia said Sunday.

Kessler, was the captain of Georgia's 1990 Southeastern Conference championship team and became a first-round NBA draft pick.

When Kessler enrolled at Georgia in 1985, he was a little-known recruit from Roswell High School with few offers from Division I schools. After a redshirt season, he spent one year as a backup before blossoming for the Bulldogs.

During his senior season, Georgia won its only SEC basketball title. In his last college game, Kessler became the Bulldogs' career scoring leader with 1,788 points, a mark surpassed the following year by Litterial Green.

Kessler was drafted No. 12 overall by the Houston Rockets, which promptly traded him to Miami. During his time with the Heat, he averaged 5.2 points and 3.6 rebounds. After leaving the NBA he began a career in medicine.