Rasmus Larsen Dies: NBA Prospect Found Dead In His Home In Belgium, Cause Unknown
Rasmus Larsen was a 7-foot center who was considered an NBA prospect, but now that promise has been cut tragically short after the Belgian player was found dead in his home.
A report from the international basketball news site Sportando noted that Larsen’s team became worried on Wednesday when he missed a team meeting, leading a representative to check on his welfare.
Larsen was found dead in his home, the report noted.
The cause of death for Rasmus Larsen is still not clear, and reports claim that an autopsy is being conducted.
Just spoke with Doug Neustadt, agent for gifted 7-foot Rasmus Larsen, who was found dead in bed. “We have no idea the cause,” Neustadt says.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@WojYahooNBA) May 13, 2015
No word whatsoever on what caused Rasmus Larsen’s death. Found lifeless by club officials in Belgium this morning. Awaiting autopsy results.
— Jonathan Givony (@DraftExpress) May 13, 2015
Rasmus Larsen was seen as a player filled with potential. He played most recently for Spirou Charleroi in Belgium, where he averaged 5.3 points and 2.6 rebounds in 12 minutes per game. Larsen had not declared for the NBA draft, and was reportedly looking at offers from U.S. college teams. He was considered among the top 20 international prospects born in 1994.
@ebosshoops he had an offer from Duke! And his younger brother Jacob is heading this way in 2016.
— Jonathan Givony (@DraftExpress) May 13, 2015
Rasmus Larsen had already made an impression in the NBA as well, appearing in the league’s Basketball without Borders camp during All-Star Weekend.
Larsen is the second highly-regarded international prospect to die in recent weeks. Back in March, Venezuelan baseball prospect Victor Sanchez died of complications from a boating accident.
The 20-year-old pitcher was swimming in Carapao when he was struck by a boat propeller. He fell into a coma, and died six weeks later.
As Yahoo! Sports noted, Victor Sanchez had been on the rise within the Seattle Mariners organization at the time of his death.
“At 6-foot and 255 pounds, Sanchez was just starting to work his way into the Mariners long term plans. He finished the 2014 season ranked as their 11th best prospect according to MLB.com, a position he cemented by posting a 4.19 ERA in 23 starts for Double-A Jackson.”
Authorities are not expected to know the cause of death for Rasmus Larsen after the autopsy has been completed.
[Image via ABC.es]
