Luther “Ticky” Burden, an All-America basketball guard at Utah, has died. He was 62.
Family friend Lut (lyut) Williams said Burden died in his sleep Thursday at Forsyth Medical Center in Winston-Salem.
Williams said Burden had been battling a disease that compromised his immune system when he had a reaction to anesthesia prior to undergoing cataract surgery at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center. Williams said Burden later developed a fever and was taken to Forsyth.
Burden is the sixth-leading scorer in Utah history with 1,790 points. He averaged 28.7 points 1974-75, tied for second-highest single-season average in school history. He was named to The Associated Press All-America team in 1975.
As a pro, Burden played one season with the Virginia Squires in the ABA and two seasons with the New York Knicks in the NBA.
Burden is survived by a wife and 10 children. Funeral arrangements were not complete Thursday.
