Tennessee announces death of former basketball captain Major Wingate

Tennessee basketball took to Twitter on Saturday afternoon to announce former Volunteers men’s basketball captain Major Wingate has died. He was 37 years old.

Best remembered for his three seasons on Rocky Top, Wingate was a team captain as a junior in the 2005-06 season. With a 6-foot-10, 250-pound frame, the center averaged 10.6 points while shooting a team-best 55.6 percent. In Tennessee’s two NCAA Tournament games, he averaged 15.0 points and 6.5 rebounds.

Wingate set a school NCAA Tournament record with five blocked shots against Wichita State. And at Texas in nonconference play, he limited LaMarcus Aldridge to just four field goals.

“The Tennessee Basketball family is mourning the loss of #VFL Major Wingate, who has passed away at the at the age of 37,” Tennessee said in a Twitter statement. “Wingate played three seasons on Rocky Top and was a team captain during his junior year. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family.”

After his junior season, he was kicked off the team after violating the team’s substance abuse policy. Undrafted in the NBA Draft, Wingate headed to Greece to start a professional basketball career. He went on to play in China, France and Romania before being drafted in the 2009 NBA Development League in the second round by the Springfield Armor.

A versatile defender and a good passer for a big man, he was an internet sensation for his 360-degree dunk during a game when he played for BC Mureş a team in the Romanian Basketball Division A.

Born and raised in Florence, South Carolina, he moved to North Gwinnett High School in Suwanee, Georgia, for his senior year of high school. Ranked as a top-50 player in the class of 2003, he was a top-10 center prospect coming out of high school.

As a role player as a freshman at Tennessee, he averaged 3.6 points and 2.5 rebounds in 29 games. Wingate averaged five points per game across 30 games and eight starts in his sophomore season.