(LOS ANGELES, CA) — American-Lebanese basketball player Jackson Vroman was found dead in his Los Angeles County home on Monday, according to California medical examiners.
Vroman, who was 34, joined Lebanon’s national basketball team in 2009 after being naturalized as a Lebanese citizen to play.
The cause of death was not immediately available, but a Los Angeles County spokesperson said an autopsy was scheduled for later in the week.
“We sadly announce the death of former Lebanese national team player Jackson Vroman,” the Lebanese Basketball League wrote on Twitter.
American poker player Dan Bilzerian, a friend of Vroman, said he died from an accidental drowning.
“He was sitting down, he got up to go inside the house, tripped on the stairs, hit his head and drown in the pool,” Blizeran wrote on Twitter.
He was sitting down, he got up to go inside the house, tripped on the stairs, hit his head and drown in the pool #RIP pic.twitter.com/7xvc972UBG
— Dan Bilzerian (@DanBilzerian) June 30, 2015
Vroman started his professional career in 2004 when he joined the Phoenix Suns. He later played for the New Orleans Hornets, and for teams in Puerto Rico, South Korea, and Spain, before joining Lebanon’s team.
A native of Bountiful, Utah, Vroman averaged 13.9 points per game his senior season (2003-04) and led the Big 12 Conference in rebounding at 9.6 per game. His career rebounding average of 9.5 is a mark that ranks ninth all-time in school history.
He retired from professional basketball last year.