UNLV Final Four member Gerald Paddio dies at 60

Gerald Paddio, an integral member of UNLV basketball’s 1987 Final Four season, died in a single-car crash Saturday, according to Louisiana law enforcement. He was 60.

According to local reports, Paddio’s vehicle left the roadway, struck a culvert.

“The driver was ejected and died from his injuries at the scene,” Louisiana ABC affiliate KATC reported.

A junior college transfer, Paddio joined the Rebels for the 1986-87 and 1987-88 NCAA seasons. UNLV went 65-8 during that span, which included a Final Four appearance in 1987. Paddio fueled a 24-2 run in the second half of an Elite Eight win over Iowa, hitting four 3-pointers during the run and finishing with 20 points.

Paddio’s 3-pointer at the buzzer to clinch a win over Temple at Madison Square Garden in 1986 is regarded as one of the greatest moments in UNLV basketball history. He averaged 16 points per game with the Rebels and was their leading scorer in his final season.

Paddio was selected in the third round of the 1988 NBA Draft by the Boston Celtics. He played three seasons in the NBA for the Cleveland Cavaliers, Seattle SuperSonics, Indiana Pacers and New York Knicks before a 16-year career playing basketball overseas.

After retiring, Paddio lived in Las Vegas but records show he moved to his home state of Louisiana.