The cause of death of former Phoenix Suns general manager Lance Blanks has been revealed. His daughter, Riley Blanks Reed, announced that her father died by suicide in an emotional piece on ESPN. She also said that Blanks died last Wednesday.
“People will want more information,” Blanks Reed wrote. “But the fact is we will never truly know why. And we don’t need to. All we need to do is remember him, honor him, celebrate him and pour our love into the family that made him happy. All we need to know is that, oftentimes, the people in the most pain are the giants in our lives.”
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Blanks, 56, was the general manager of the Suns from 2010-2013. He earned the job after serving as assistant general manager of the Cleveland Cavaliers for five seasons. Blanks also was a scout for the San Antonio Spurs and most recently the Los Angeles Clippers.
“My father was a leader and a guardian angel. In the darkness of my worst nights, he always picked up the phone,” Blanks Reed wrote later in the piece. “I could go on. I could tell you about every accolade, every stat and every award Daddy received throughout his career. But that information is easy to find, and as I listen to his loved ones, fans and community, I don’t hear about his résumé. I hear about his character.”
Blanks also spent time as an NBA player as he was in the league from 1990-1993. He played for the Detroit Pistons and Minnesota Timberwolves and was close friends with former Pistons legend Joe Dumars. “Lance was a light for all those who knew him,” Dumars said in a statement at the time of his death. “It’s been a privilege to have called him one of my closest friends. I’m eternally grateful for all the support he has shown me throughout the years. His legacy will be carried on, not only by his family, but by all those whose lives he touched for the better.”
Blanks played college basketball at the University of Virginia and the University of Texas. He helped the Longhorns reach the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament in 1990 and scored 1,322 points in two seasons with the team.
If you or someone you know is in crisis, please call or text 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. The previous Lifeline phone number (1-800-273-8255) will always remain available.
