Former Syracuse C Fab Melo dies at 26

Former Syracuse center Fab Melo died in Brazil on Saturday at the age of 26.

Melo played two seasons at Syracuse and was the Big East Defensive Player of the Year as a sophomore in 2012 after averaging 7.8 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 2.9 blocks. That same year he was forced to sit out during the Orange's NCAA tournament run after he was deemed academically ineligible.

"He was a really good kid, and it's not fair that he will be defined by one thing, a 10-page paper," Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim told ESPN after learning Melo had died at his mother's house. "He worked his tail off to become a really good player, and was a nice kid."

"We don't know the cause yet," added Boeheim. "It's so hard right now, so hard to believe. It's a sad, sad day."

After missing out on March Madness, Melo declared for the 2012 NBA Draft and was selected 22nd overall by the Boston Celtics. Melo spent most of the 2012-13 season playing for the Maine Red Claws of the NBA D-League, though he did appear in six games for the Celtics.

The Celtics traded Melo to Memphis the following the season, but he was waived without ever playing for the Grizzlies and though he signed with the Dallas Mavericks in 2013, he never appeared in another NBA game. In the following years he bounced around internationally and most recently played for Brasilia of the NBB in his home country of Brazil.