Nick Vanos

Nick Vanos
Personal information
Born	April 13, 1963; San Mateo, California, U.S.
Died	August 16, 1987 (aged 24); Romulus, Michigan, U.S.
Listed height	7 ft 1 in (2.16 m)
Listed weight	255 lb (116 kg)
Career information
High school	Hillsdale (San Mateo, California)
College	Santa Clara (1981–1985)
NBA draft	1985: 2nd round, 32nd overall pick
Drafted by	Phoenix Suns
Playing career	1985–1987
Position	Center
Number	30
Career history
1985–1987	Phoenix Suns
Career highlights
	2× First-team All-WCC (1984, 1985); No. 32 retired by Santa Clara Broncos;
	Stats at NBA.com
	Stats at Basketball Reference

Nicolaas Peter Vanos (April 13, 1963 – August 16, 1987) was an American professional basketball player for the Phoenix Suns of the National Basketball Association (NBA). The San Mateo, California native was selected 32nd by the Suns in the 1985 NBA draft after playing at Hillsdale High School and Santa Clara University. He played only two seasons in the NBA, both of them for the Suns at center, ending with his death in a plane crash in 1987.^[1]^[2]

Vanos and his girlfriend Carolyn Cohen both died as passengers on Northwest Airlines Flight 255, which crashed just after takeoff from the Detroit Metropolitan Airport on August 16, 1987. The two were on their way back to Phoenix, Arizona after a visit to Cohen's parents in Michigan. The crash killed all but one of the 155 persons aboard, and two motorists on the ground.^[1]^[3]^: 25–26

References

^ ^a ^b "The parents of Phoenix Suns basketball player Nick Vanos,..." UPI. October 29, 1987. Archived from the original on March 21, 2025. Retrieved August 1, 2025.
^ "Nick Vanos Remembered: 1963-1987". NBA.com. February 3, 2016. Retrieved July 25, 2019.
^ "Aircraft Accident Report, Northwest Airlines, Inc. McDonnell Douglas DC-9-82, N312RC, Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport, Romulus, Michigan, August 16, 1987" (PDF). National Transportation Safety Board. May 10, 1988. NTSB/AAR-88/05. Archived (PDF) from the original on April 9, 2016. Retrieved January 16, 2015. - Copy at Embry–Riddle Aeronautical University.

External links

Career statistics from NBA.com · Basketball Reference

This biographical article relating to a United States basketball player, coach, or other figure born in the 1960s is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.

[f493-1] "The parents of Phoenix Suns basketball player Nick Vanos,..." UPI. October 29, 1987. Archived from the original on March 21, 2025. Retrieved August 1, 2025.

[2] "Nick Vanos Remembered: 1963-1987". NBA.com. February 3, 2016. Retrieved July 25, 2019.

[AAR-88-05_Final_Report-3] "Aircraft Accident Report, Northwest Airlines, Inc. McDonnell Douglas DC-9-82, N312RC, Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport, Romulus, Michigan, August 16, 1987" (PDF). National Transportation Safety Board. May 10, 1988. NTSB/AAR-88/05. Archived (PDF) from the original on April 9, 2016. Retrieved January 16, 2015. - Copy at Embry–Riddle Aeronautical University.

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v t e 1985 NBA draft
First round	Patrick Ewing Wayman Tisdale Benoit Benjamin Xavier McDaniel Jon Koncak Joe Kleine Chris Mullin Detlef Schrempf Charles Oakley Ed Pinckney Keith Lee Kenny Green Karl Malone Alfredrick Hughes Blair Rasmussen Bill Wennington Uwe Blab Joe Dumars Steve Harris Sam Vincent Terry Catledge Jerry Reynolds A. C. Green Terry Porter
Second round	Mike Smrek Bill Martin Dwayne McClain Ken Johnson Mike Brittain Calvin Duncan Manute Bol Nick Vanos Greg Stokes Aubrey Sherrod Tyrone Corbin Yvon Joseph Carey Scurry Fernando Martín George Montgomery Mark Acres Lorenzo Charles Bobby Lee Hurt Barry Stevens Voise Winters John "Hot Rod" Williams Adrian Branch Gerald Wilkins

See also

References

External links