‘Tractor’ Traylor dies

Robert Traylor, the former NBA and University of Michigan big man nicknamed “Tractor” because of his hulking 6-foot-8, 300-pound frame, has died in Puerto Rico. He was 34. Described as a “gentle giant” with a generous smile, Traylor played seven years in the NBA. He is perhaps most remembered, however, for his career at Michigan, where he was a standout for three seasons but became embroiled in a major scandal involving a booster. Police in San Juan said Traylor 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.

– Associated Press