Earl ‘The Twirl’ Cureton, A Two-Time NBA Champion, Died At Age 66

Earl “The Twirl” Cureton, a 12-year NBA veteran who won two championships, has died. He was aged 66.

Cureton, who has been a community ambassador for the Detroit Pistons for the past decade, died “unexpectedly” on Sunday morning, according to a Pistons announcement. The team did not disclose any more information.

“Earl was one of the most generous, positive, and caring people I ever knew,” Pistons owner Tom Gores said. “He was a caring parent who was committed to his family, and I felt proud to be his friend. He was a champion player and a valuable community advocate. We are devastated over his passing.”

The 6-foot-9 Cureton began his college career at Robert Morris before moving to Detroit Mercy for his last two seasons under then-coach Dick Vitale. He averaged 20 points and 9.1 rebounds in the 1979-80 season and is a member of the school’s sports Hall of Fame.

“I am heartbroken,” Vitale texted The Detroit News on Sunday. “He adored Detroit and was really proud of his efforts to make it to the NBA.

“And Earl was always trying to inspire young people to chase their dreams.”

The Detroit native was chosen by Philadelphia in the third round of the 1979 NBA draft.

Cureton averaged 5.4 points and 4.7 rebounds throughout 674 NBA games. He has played for Philadelphia, Detroit, Chicago, Los Angeles Clippers, Charlotte, Houston, and Toronto. He was a member of championship teams with the 1982-83 76ers and the 1993-94 Rockets.

Following his playing career, he coached in the NBA, the United States Basketball League, and the Continental Basketball Association.

“He was a tremendous teammate, a tough competitor, a champion, and a great human being,” former Pistons player Isiah Thomas said in the team’s statement. “Earl always cared deeply about the Detroit community and worked diligently to make a difference in the city he loved. “He will be sorely missed.”

Chauncey Billups, the Portland Trail Blazers’ coach, was devastated to learn of his old teammate’s death.

“He was just a beautiful dude,” Billups remarked before Sunday night’s Trail Blazers game in Denver. “I clearly spent a lot of time with him in Detroit. Just a giant teddy bear. Always a lot of fun. He had one of those contagious chuckles that made everyone around him laugh. Never had a horrible day. I admire men like that, folks like that. The world may be quite brutal and tough, but they never view it that way, you know? And I liked that about him. Every time I went to Detroit, I would give him a big embrace. So it was bad news today.”

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