Former Wildcat Sean Rooks likely died of 'natural causes'

Jeff Moran, a spokesman for the Philadelphia Public Health Department, told the Star a final determination about the cause of death likely won’t be reached for four to eight weeks, pending additional testing.

“What (the examiner) said most recently was that all evidence is Mr. Rooks died of natural causes,” Moran said.

Rooks, 46, died suddenly Tuesday at a Philadelphia restaurant, just hours after he had interviewed for an assistant coach position with the New York Knicks.

An outpouring of condolences and support continued to pour in Wednesday for the Fontana, Calif., product who played at Arizona from 1987 to 1992, then went on to a 12-year NBA playing career.

Former Wildcats coach Lute Olson said Tuesday that the news was a “horrible shock,” and UA coach Sean Miller expressed condolences via a UA statement issued Wednesday morning.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with the Rooks family upon hearing the news of Sean’s passing,” Miller said. “I have often heard Coach Olson and Sean’s Arizona teammates refer to him in so many glowing terms, particularly as someone that learned the value of hard work in college and developed himself into a NBA player. It is saddening to see him leave us at such a young age.

“We also pass on our condolences to his son, Kameron, a member of our conference at California and someone that is becoming an excellent player in his own right.”

Arizona expressed recruiting interest in Kameron four years ago, though Sean Rooks said then that his son had more to prove as a high-major prospect. Kameron Rooks averaged 3.6 points and 4.9 rebounds over 33 games as a redshirt sophomore for the Bears last season, starting 10 games.

“He was very impressed,” Sean Rooks told the Star just after his son’s May 2012 visit to Arizona. “It was great to take an unofficial visit to Arizona because you’re not going to get a better experience. I think going to Arizona has sparked a whole different maturity in him. You can see the commitment (necessary at UA) and, if you commit to it, what can be at your feet.”

Kameron Rooks issued thanks via Twitter on Wednesday for “all the love and support … (that) is the only thing putting a smile on my face during this difficult time.”

Rooks also said: “My father’s death is the hardest thing that has ever happened to me, but seeing how much he has impacted people is very admirable.”

Former teammates from UA and in the NBA continued to post condolences all over Twitter, too. Rooks spent the past two seasons as the Sixers’ players development coach and was offered the head coaching job for the Charlotte Hornets’ D-League affiliate.

Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr, Rooks’ UA teammate when Rooks redshirted as a freshman in 1987-88, told the San Jose Mercury News that he was “devastated by the news.”

“My son and Sean’s son were teammates this year at Cal, and all of us who knew Sean are just crushed,” he said. “It’s a horrible loss, and we’re thinking most about Sean’s two kids, Kameron and Khayla, and hoping they’re doing OK. But it’s a huge loss.”

Sixers coach Brett Brown said in a statement that Rooks was “a wonderful person with a kind soul who deserved to live longer than he did.”

“Sean was with me for two years and helped our young players and coaching staff by sharing his experiences in such an endearing way,” he said.

“It was exciting for me to sit with him recently and see the enthusiasm he had while preparing to interview for the head coach position with an NBA D-League team. We would role-play, ask each other different questions, and when he left, I felt like he had a real chance to make a significant advancement in his own coaching career.

“When he was offered the position just a few days later, we spoke of the challenges, growth and responsibility that would help him personally move his career forward as a head coach. He was genuinely excited by this offer, as well as other job opportunities that were coming his way.

“He meant so much to so many people. We are all deeply saddened by his loss and extend our condolences to his family during this time. He will be missed.”