USA/PUR - Traylor remembered at Santurce

SAN JUAN (BSN/NBA) - There has been an outpouring of grief following the death of Robert "Tractor" Traylor.

The former NBA big man, who was playing professionally in Puerto Rico's top flight, was found dead in his Isla Verde apartment of an apparent attack on Wednesday. He was 34.

The team Traylor led to the 2007 BSN title, Cangrejeros de Santurce, has wasted no time in paying tribute to Traylor. The club raised a jersey with number '54' to the rafters of the Coliseo Jose Miguel Agrelot on Thursday night during an emotional ceremony before the team's game against Quebradillas Piratas.

Traylor joined elite company because Puerto Rico basketball great Jose 'Piculín' Ortiz and Teofilo "Teo" Cruz are the only other players to have had their jerseys retired at Santurce and raised to the top of the arena.

The chairman of the BSN back in 2007, Henry Neumann, spoke to the crowd before the Santurce game and said: "Traylor not only showed great talent as a basketball player, but as a human.

"He was a person who left his mark on each of the players on this team."

In America, many of Traylor's former teammates have reacted to his death, including LeBron James.

Using his KingJames Twitter account, the Miami Heat tweeted: R.I.P "Tractor". Another one of my former teammates found dead at such a young age. SMH!!

FIBA