PARIS, Sept 5 (AFP) - American basketball player Alphonso Ford, a mainstay of the sport in Europe, has died after losing his battle with leukaemia at the age of 33, the Euroleague announced on Sunday.
Ford, who was the second most successful player in the history of the sport on the continent scoring 1200 points, died on Saturday.
He had stopped playing in August to undergo chemotherapy after being originally diagnosed with cancer in 1997.
"His death is a great loss not only for his family but for all of us who had the fortune to know him," said Euroleague director general Jordi Bertomeu.
Ford started his career in the American minor leagues before going on to play in Europe with Argal Huesca in Spain, Papagou in Greece, Emlakbank of Turkey, Sporting Athens, Peristeri and Olympiakos of Greece before moving to Italy where he played for Montepaschi Siena and finally Scavolini Pesaro.