Gerald Paddio, a star forward at UNLV who played for five different teams in three NBA seasons, died April 4. He was 60.
Paddio was found dead at the scene of a single-vehicle accident on the side of a two-lane road near Rayne, Louisiana, by Acadia Parish Sheriff K.P. Gibson, according to multiple reports. Newsweek Sports has reached out to the Sheriff’s office for confirmation.
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Paddio saw time with the Cleveland Cavaliers (1990-91), Seattle SuperSonics (1992-93), Indiana Pacers (1993-94), New York Knicks (1993-94) and Washington Bullets (1993-94).
Paddio averaged 5.5 points in 12.6 minutes per game in 129 NBA games. He also played nine playoff games with the Sonics in 1993, averaging 3.3 minutes off the bench.
A small forward, Paddio played for Kilgore College and Seminole State before transferring to the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. At UNLV, Paddio helped head coach Jerry Tarkanian’s team reach the Final Four in 1987.
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Paddio averaged 13.1 points, 4.3 rebounds and 2.0 assists in 39 games (37 starts) for the 37-2 Runnin’ Rebels. A gifted shooter, Paddio took advantage of his 6-foot-7 frame to score over smaller defenders in college.
In an Elite Eight game between Iowa and UNLV in March 1987, Paddio made four second-half three-pointers as part of a 24-2 scoring run that erased a 16-point halftime, lifting the Rebels to an 84-81 victory.
Paddio was selected by the Boston Celtics in the third round (74th overall) of the 1988 NBA draft. He played one season in the CBA and another in Europe before finally getting his first chance in the NBA with the Cavs in 1990.
“If you couldn’t play defense and play hard, you could not play for Coach (Tarkanian),” Paddio said in a 2010 interview with the Las Vegas Review-Journal. “I came out of college and they said I couldn’t make it in the NBA. You can’t tell me I’m not going to make it.”
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As a pro, Paddio also played two seasons in Spain, another in Italy, one in France, and competed for Maccabi Tel Aviv in the 1995 FIBA Korac Cup. He also played overseas in Argentina, Japan, Lebanon and Mexico.
Paddio was a native of Lafayette, Louisiana.
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