06-07-2025
Prayers Pouring In After College Basketball Legend Dies At 49
Prayers Pouring In After College Basketball Legend Dies At 49 originally appeared on The Spun.
Prayers are pouring in after a legendary men's college basketball player died from cancer at 49 years old.
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Larry Florence, a standout men's basketball player at Nebraska in the late 1990s, passed away over the weekend. He died following a battle with cancer. Florence, a team captain at Nebraska in 1999-2000, was battling multiple myeloma, an aggressive form of blood cancer.
'You understand as a human being, God wants us to work together and help each other, but sometimes you've got to take a step back and be like, 'No,' turn your phone off and just relax,' he told the Ledger-Enquirer last April. 'I want people to really concentrate on, especially men in general, to not be so manly. Get your checkups. Get your blood work done.'
NCAA ball on floor. (Photo by)Florence credited basketball with saving his life.
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'It saved my life because it gave me a sense of purpose,' he said. 'Once you figure out that you're pretty good at it, now you got to work at it. … It gave me a sense of pride to be doing something that other people want to come and watch you do. … If I didn't have basketball, I could have been out in these streets doing nonsense, whether it was drinking alcohol every day or doing drugs. … It was really difficult in the hood, as far as guys selling drugs or breaking into people's homes or stealing cars.'
Prayers are pouring in for his friends and family members on social media.
"This hurts! A Nebraska legend and true inspiration in life. Larry thank you for your transparency and your faith through it all," one fan wrote.
"Man. This is sad. Larry Florence was such a good player," one fan added.
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"Very sad to hear the passing of Larry Florence," one fan added.
"Gutted hearing the news of Larry Florence's passing. RIP L-Flo! 💔5️⃣," one fan added.
Our thoughts are with his friends and family members during this difficult time.
May he rest in peace.
Prayers Pouring In After College Basketball Legend Dies At 49 first appeared on The Spun on Jul 6, 2025
This story was originally reported by The Spun on Jul 6, 2025, where it first appeared.
