Former NBA player Marvin Barnes dies at 62

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) A former Providence College teammate says Marvin Barnes, who led the school to the Final Four in 1973 and starred in the old American Basketball Association, has died. He was 62.

Kevin Stacom, one of Barnes' closest friends, told the Providence Journal on Monday (http://bit.ly/1Bnw3vq) that Barnes died at a home in Providence. The cause of death was not known, but Barnes had battled drug addiction for years.

Stacom did not return messages seeking comment from The Associated Press.

Providence College Athletic Director Bob Driscoll says Barnes will always be remembered as one of the greatest Friars of all-time.

The 6-foot-9 forward was an All-American in college and was the second overall pick of the 1974 draft, behind only UCLA's Bill Walton. But he opted for the rival ABA, where he was rookie of the year in 1975.

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Information from: The Providence Journal, http://www.providencejournal.com