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For almost two hours, Lenora Traylor was inconsolable. Her son, Robert, was laid to rest this afternoon after an emotional service at the Greater New Mt. Moriah Missionary Baptist Church. One of Detroit's basketball sons died May 11 of an apparent heart attack in Puerto Rico. He was 34. Lenora Traylor moaned, cried and reached out to the casket as a list of local basketball players and dignitaries came to pay their respects to the former Murray-Wright and Michigan standout who played seven NBA seasons. Detroit Free Press

Robert Traylor 

The visitor list included former NBA player Carlos Rogers, U-M assistant coach Bacari Alexander, Mayor Dave Bing, former Detroit Mercy player Jermaine Jackson, former U-M football player Stan Edwards, agent Charles Tucker, former U-M player Tony Tolbert, former Detroit Piston Earl Cureton and Mayce Webber, father of U-M Fab Fiver Chris Webber. “That's my son, that's my baby,” Lenora said, her voice echoing throughout the church as Traylor's wife, Raye, son, Robert Jr., and daughter, Raigan, sat, huddled close together. Detroit Free Press

Robert Traylor 

Family and friends are set to say a final goodbye to former University of Michigan star and professional basketball player Robert "Tractor" Traylor. A funeral service is to be held Thursday at Greater New Mount Moriah Baptist Church in Detroit. Chicago Tribune

Robert Traylor 

The public viewing for former Michigan basketball star Robert (Tractor) Traylor will be 1-9 p.m. Wednesday at Swanson Funeral Home, 14751 W. McNichols in Detroit. The family hour will be 10:30 a.m. Thursday, followed by a noon funeral at Greater New Mt. Moriah Baptist Church, 586 Owen in Detroit. Detroit Free Press

Robert Traylor, Detroit 

The entire Milwaukee Bucks organization is saddened by the news of Robert Traylor’s death. Robert was a fierce competitor on the court who helped the Bucks reach the playoffs in each of his two seasons in Milwaukee. Off the court he was a gentle giant, displaying his smile and care, especially toward young people through his involvement in school visits and his work with the Special Olympics clinic. NBA.com

Milwaukee Bucks, Robert Traylor 

Young Dirk, interestingly enough, was under the NBA radar for most teams, but it was known that then Celtics head coach Rick Pitino was onto Nowitzki and was scrambling for more information on the kid. "Leading up to the draft [in the summer of 1998], Donnie hid out Dirk in Europe," said Big Nellie. "Rick couldn't get to him to interview him. Nobody could. Donnie had him stashed away." Donnie also had been an assistant coach in Phoenix, where he believed a backup point guard, Steve Nash, could be a future big-time player. "Our objective for that draft was to come away with both Dirk and Steve," Donnie said Thursday. Fort Worth Star-Telegram

Dallas Mavericks, Dirk Nowitzki, Robert Traylor 

The Mavs had the sixth pick that summer. Milwaukee had the ninth pick and the Celtics the 10th pick. The trade went down with the Bucks, who wanted Tractor. The Mavericks took Traylor at No. 6, waited for Philadelphia and Sacramento to draft, then Milwaukee took Dirk at No. 9. "We thought we knew for sure that the two teams behind us were locked into their picks, and wouldn't trade if Boston wanted to move up ahead of Milwaukee [for Dirk], but there's never a given," said Big Nellie. "I was really sweating it for 15 minutes before Milwaukee got on the clock." The agents of both teams knew what was going on, and where their players would eventually end up. But no one else did. Fort Worth Star-Telegram

Dallas Mavericks, Dirk Nowitzki, Robert Traylor 

Bayamon Cowboys star and former NBA forward Robert "Tractor" Traylor was found dead of an apparent heart attackat his home in Puerto Rico on Wednesday. He was 34. Traylor, who shot to fame in American college basketball with the Michigan Wolverines in the nineties, was discovered on the bedroom floor of his oceanfront apartment in Isla Verde. His teammates, who had their league game postponed on Wednesday evening, have expressed shock over his death. "It's a very difficult time for us," said Bayamon's Puerto Rico international Christian Dalmau. FIBA.com

Puerto Rico, Robert Traylor 

Charlie Bell: R.I.P Robert Traylor. He was my host on my visit a long time ago. He was a great person. He will be missed. Twitter

Charlie Bell, Robert Traylor 

Today's news of Robert "Tractor" Traylor's death pained Charlotte Bobcats coach Paul Silas. "It's just a shock and hard to believe," said Silas in an interview this afternoon with Starting Blocks. Silas coached Traylor in Charlotte, New Orleans and with the Cavaliers. "He was one of my special players that I really admired," Silas said. "We just texted each other about two weeks ago. I remember once how he stepped up for me in Cleveland when he told the other players they were wrong in the way they were going at me. It was a blessing to know him, to be around him and to be a close friend." Cleveland Plain Dealer

Paul Silas, Robert Traylor 

Ira Newble, a teammate of Traylor's with the Cavaliers, also said he was hurt by the news. "This was totally unexpected," Newble said. "He was in good shape. He slimmed down. He was no longer overweight. He had that heart condition, but it's been five years since that surgery and you'd think he'd be past that... It's so sad to see a consummate teammate and a good brother leave this earth." Cleveland Plain Dealer

Robert Traylor, Ira Newble 

But the truth of the matter, says former Bucks general manager Larry Harris, is the team never considered picking Nowitzki. Harris was the team's director of scouting in 1998 and Bob Weinhauer was the general manager. "We really never had him (Nowitzki)," Harris said in an interview Wednesday. "The deal was done well before the draft started. "Had the deal not been done, they (the Mavericks) would have chosen him (Nowitzki)." Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel

Milwaukee Bucks, Dirk Nowitzki, Robert Traylor 

Harris recalled that Traylor's weight was a concern before the draft but said the 280-plus pound forward had worked hard to get in shape. "He was concerned with his weight and knew what people were saying about him," Harris said. Traylor played two seasons with the Bucks before being traded to Cleveland in 2000 as part of a three-team deal. If the Bucks had no clue on Nowitzki's future, they were also among nine teams that let Paul Pierce slide. The Boston Celtics took the Kansas player with the 10th overall pick, one slot after the Bucks. That's another future Hall of Famer. Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel

Milwaukee Bucks, Robert Traylor 

Former Marquette coach and current Indiana coach Tom Crean, who was an assistant at Michigan State when Traylor played at Michigan, posted on Twitter: "All in all with Robert, I won't remember the scrutiny and clouds of controversy he dealt with as a player or the trade for Dirk .... I will remember the aura around him and how kids looked up to him even though he was only slightly older than them." Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel

Robert Traylor 

Former NBA and University of Michigan player Robert "Tractor" Traylor has died. He was 34. CBSSports.com

Puerto Rico, Robert Traylor 

Police in San Juan, Puerto Rico, said in a statement he was found dead Wednesday on the bedroom floor of his oceanfront apartment. Police and Traylor's team, the Bayamon Cowboys, said he had been missing for a few days and apparently died from a heart attack. CBSSports.com

Puerto Rico, Robert Traylor 

Marc Berman: Fred Kerber and I covered Nets' pursuit of Tractor Traylor in 2005. He agreed to terms but #Nets backed out after discovering heart ailment. Twitter

Puerto Rico, Robert Traylor 

Chuck Swirsky: Still in a state of shock with the loss of yractor traylor he was so kind generous and playful to my youbg children at the time at michigan Twitter

Puerto Rico, Robert Traylor 

Chuck Swirsky: I have a million tractor stories but I can tell you first hand he loved children especially children with special needs. So considerate Twitter

Puerto Rico, Robert Traylor 

Team manager Jose Carlos Perez told the Associated Press that Traylor had been talking by phone to his wife in Chicago on Wednesday when the connection was suddenly cut off. She called team officials and they checked on him, Perez said. "He was a leader of the team," he said. "He was very, very friendly. He got along very well with everyone. The fans loved him, idolized him." CBSSports.com

Puerto Rico, Robert Traylor