Rogers

Former Clipper Rodney Rogers died Friday of natural causes linked to a spinal cord injury he sustained in a 2008 dirt bike accident. He was 54.

Wake Forest, which retired his No. 54, announced his death Saturday along with the National Basketball Players Assn., which released a statement on behalf of Rogers’ family.

Rogers was the Atlantic Coast Conference rookie of the year in 1991 and player of the year in 1993. The burly 6-foot-7 forward with powerful athleticism earned the “Durham Bull” nickname during his prep career, then was drafted ninth overall in 1993. He played 12 years in the NBA, scoring nearly 9,500 points and being named league sixth man of the year in 2000.

Rogers had been paralyzed from the shoulders down since his accident in November 2008.

“The last 17 years have been both challenging and profoundly blessed,” the NBPA statement said. “Through every moment, Rodney remained a light — positive, motivated, and full of the quiet strength that inspired everyone around him.”

Rogers’ injury led to the establishment of a foundation bearing his name, with Rogers encouraging people with spinal cord injuries while promoting resilience and personal growth in the face of those challenges. Wake Forest honored him with its Distinguished Alumni Award in 2022 along with an honorary degree.

Clippers forward Rodney Rogers has a few words for referee Leon Wood after getting called for a foul during a game in 1997.

(Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)

“Rodney is the strongest person I have ever met — physically and mentally — and his resilience was evident in the fight he showed every single day,” program great and former teammate Randolph Childress said in a statement. “I’ve said this before and I still mean it today: He was the best athlete ever to walk onto Wake Forest’s campus. He meant so much to so many people, and I feel profoundly blessed to have been with him yesterday.”

Rogers played three years at Wake Forest, averaging 21.2 points in 1992-93 as the Demon Deacons reached the NCAA tournament’s Sweet 16, before entering the draft as a junior. He started his NBA career with the Denver Nuggets before being traded to the Clippers in 1995 along with the draft rights to Brent Barry for the draft rights to Antonio McDyess and Randy Woods. Rogers averaged 12.3 points, 4.8 rebounds and 2.5 assists in four seasons in L.A. before becoming a valuable reserve with the Phoenix Suns. He also played for the Boston Celtics, New Jersey Nets, New Orleans Hornets and Philadelphia 76ers.

“It’s easy to focus on his extraordinary talent, but what stood out to everyone who knew him was that he was every bit as remarkable as a human being,” said Dave Odom, Rogers’ coach at Wake Forest. “He loved his teammates, he loved his family, he loved Wake Forest and he loved the game of basketball. He loved playing for Wake Forest.

“Every time we visited him, I walked away reminding myself never to complain — because he never did. He faced life exactly as it came and made the very best of every moment. He was a joy to watch as a basketball player, but he was an even greater man. He shared his strength, his spirit and his life with everyone around him.”

According to the NBPA statement, Rogers is survived by wife, Faye; daughters Roddreka and Rydiah; sons Rodney II and Devonte; his mother, Estelle Spencer; and Eric Hipilito, embraced as a son by Rogers.

Jude Bellingham was named on the bench for England’s World Cup qualifier against Serbia on Thursday, with Morgan Rogers in the number 10 role.

Manchester City’s Nico O’Reilly, 20, will make his senior international debut at left-back while Marcus Rashford plays in attack.

Bellingham, 22, has missed the past four internationals – partly due to a shoulder injury – but was recalled to the squad for this week’s games against Serbia and Albania, with England having already qualified for next summer’s tournament.

England manager Thomas Tuchel told the BBC on Wednesday that Aston Villa midfielder Rogers was carrying a slight hamstring issue and would require a late fitness check.

Rogers has excelled in deputising for Real Madrid’s Bellingham and Tuchel faces a clear selection dilemma before the World Cup next year.

O’Reilly makes his full England debut following an impressive start to the season with City.

Reece James, Ezri Konsa and John Stones join O’Reilly in defence.

Barcelona forward Rashford replaces the injured Anthony Gordon in attack.

Declan Rice and Elliott Anderson continue in midfield alongside Rogers while Bukayo Saka and Harry Kane get the nod in attack.

Jordan Pickford retains his place in goal.

England’s games against Serbia and Albania – which conclude their World Cup qualifiers – may be dead rubbers, with qualification secured, but they are highly significant when it comes to deciding who plays in that key area when the tournament starts.

Rogers revealed the extent of his friendship with Bellingham when he said: “I don’t remember it, but apparently he came to my fifth birthday party.”

They are often seen together on England duty and Rogers has said previously: “It made it even sweeter, sharing the pitch with him again. It’s so nice, knowing I can share these moments with him and that he feels happy and proud as well.

“My mum knows his parents quite well, to do with work and stuff. We have always been around each other, playing against each other in the academies.

“Being in the first under-15 camp together, both being from Birmingham, we kind of stuck to each other.

“We grew up probably five minutes away from each other. We have kind of been rivals, me as West Brom and him at Birmingham City.”

Bellingham and Rogers have been pitted against each other in the fight for a place, along with Foden, but it is still a heartwarming story of how two boys, born in Stourbridge and Halesowen respectively, have taken the journey to such prominence and importance.

Rogers took the more scenic route to the top, starting at West Bromwich Albion, before moving to Manchester City, where he had loan spells at Lincoln City, Bournemouth and Blackpool before joining Middlesbrough in July 2023.

He impressed so much on Teesside that Villa manager Unai Emery made it his personal business to sign Rogers, clinching a deal on 1 February 2024, for a reported £8m – potentially rising to £15m.

Such has been his progress at Villa, that when Chelsea were linked with a move in the summer, Rogers was regarded as a player who could potentially be placed in the £100m bracket.

Bellingham’s journey has been more direct, from his beloved Birmingham City to Borussia Dortmund then Real Madrid – where he claimed the major prizes of La Liga and the Champions League in his first season.

Now they have their sights set on arriving together at next summer’s World Cup in Canada, Mexico and the United States – but who will wear England’s treasured number 10 shirt?

Manchester United midfielder Kobbie Mainoo is interesting two Italian clubs, Newcastle midfielder Sandro Tonali does not have a release clause in his contract, Morgan Rogers set to sign new Aston Villa contract.

Napoli have made contact with Manchester United over a January loan deal for England midfielder Kobbie Mainoo, 20. (Gazzetta dello Sport – in Italian), external

Mainoo is also a wanted by another Serie A club with Roma interested in a January deal. (Football Italia), external

Newcastle and Italy midfielder Sandro Tonali is homesick for AC Milan, with Juventus also interested in the 25-year-old. (Corriere della Sera – in Italian), external

Tonali does not have a release clause in his Newcastle contract and will review his future on a year-by-year basis. (Sky Sports), external

Aston Villa’s 23-year-old England midfielder Morgan Rogers is set to sign a new contract which will take his salary beyond £100,000 per week. (Mail), external

Bayern Munich are in contact with the entourage of Liverpool and France defender Ibrahima Konate, 26, over a potential transfer. (Bild – via Get German Football News), external

Liverpool and Chelsea might make a move Newcastle’s 25-year-old Dutch defender Sven Botman. (Caught Offside), external

Tottenham are open to signing English striker Ivan Toney, 29, in January, from Saudi Pro League club Al-Ahli and Spurs boss Thomas Frank has already held talks with him. (Teamtalk), external

Alexis Mac Allister is happy at Liverpool and the 26-year-old Argentina midfielder has no immediate intentions to move despite interest from Real Madrid. (Football Insider), external

Former Wolves head coach Gary O’Neil is a strong contender for the vacant manager’s job at Southampton, along with ex-Middlesbrough boss Michael Carrick. (Telegraph – subscription required), external

Liverpool are unlikely to bid for Bournemouth and Ghana forward Antoine Semenyo in January, but the Reds might move for the 25-year-old next summer. (Fabrizio Romano via Give Me Sport), external

Italy defender Alessandro Bastoni wants to stay at Inter Milan, dealing a blow to Manchester United, Manchester City and Liverpool’s hopes of signing the 26-year-old. (Fichajes – in Spanish), external

Suzanne Rogers, who has spent more than five decades as a cast member on the soap opera “Days of Our Lives,” has enviable endurance. This past summer, she learned she was even stronger than she’d thought.

For six weeks between June and July, Rogers, 82, underwent treatment for Stage II colorectal cancer, she told TV Insider in an interview published Thursday. The actor said she was diagnosed with the disease earlier this year after consulting a doctor about a nagging feeling that something “wasn’t quite right” with her body.

Colorectal cancer is a term for cancer originating in the colon or rectum. Chances of occurrence increase with age, and experts recommend regular screenings for those age 45 and above, continuing until at least age 75.

Rogers suspected her health issues might be serious when her doctor told her he would like to do a slew of tests, including a colonoscopy, MRI and PET scan. Still, when he confirmed the bad news, the Daytime Emmy winner — who already did routine colonoscopies — couldn’t believe it.

“I think I was in shock for several days because I take pretty good care of myself,” she told TV Insider. Fortunately, her doctor said, “It’s a good thing you caught it in time.”

After wrapping on “Days” in June, Rogers began daily radiation and chemotherapy treatments. She said the intense regimen made her treasure her weekends “because I didn’t have to go to and see a doctor. I was so tired of seeing doctors.”

Luckily, the Peacock soap happened to be on hiatus at the time, so Rogers had no trouble making her appointments. On top of that, her onscreen daughter Linsey Godfrey, who herself battled Hodgkin‘s lymphoma as a teenager, was able to accompany her on treatment visits, which made the ordeal less daunting.

“We really feel like a family,” Rogers said, adding that other cast and crew members regularly called to check in on her, and the “Days” producers never rushed her recovery.

“They all said, ‘Don’t worry about a thing, take care of yourself, get yourself well. That’s the most important thing. We are here,’ ” Rogers said. As the actor heads back to the “Days” set next week, she said she is “feeling really good,” albeit nervous that lingering fatigue might hold her back.

“That’s the only anxiousness I feel. It’s not because of my illness, let’s put it that way,” she said. When she does return to the screen, Rogers will still be sporting her famous ginger mane, as she didn’t lose her hair during chemo.

“Days of Our Lives” premiered on NBC in 1965 and is currently airing Season 61 on Peacock. In July, the classic daytime drama announced it had been renewed for a 62nd and 63rd season on the streaming service.