Reggie Chaney death: College basketball world mourns the demise of former Houston and Arkansas forward

The college basketball world has been mourning since the news of Reggie Chaney's death flooded social media on Monday night.

According to reports in the Houston Chronicle, 23-year-old Chaney was set to join the Greek professional basketball team AE Psychiko.

Before transferring to the University of Houston, he featured for the Arkansas Razorbacks for two seasons. Chaney played for the Houston Cougars for the remaining three seasons of his college basketball career.

Last season, he played his final year with the Cougars and earned the American Athletic Conference's Sixth Man of the Year honor. The Tulsa, Oklahoma native played on the Houston Cougars team that got to the NCAA Final Four in 2021.

The cause of Chaney's death is yet to be made public.

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How is the college basketball world reacting to Reggie Chaney's death?

Reggie Chaney's former Houston teammate, Justin Gorham, paid a glowing tribute to him on his X (formerly Twitter) page. He wrote:

“Two words that describe Reggie, 'Always dependable.' No matter the situation, you know Reg gonna give his 110%. Glad I got the chance to lace 'em up with him. Without Reg, we don't accomplish half the things we did. Rest easy, Brother Love.”

Similarly, one of his former Razorbacks teammates, Mason Jones, paid him a tribute on X. Jones demanded that Reggie Chaney be given “his flowers.” He added an emotional touch, referring to Chaney, who was also roommates with him, as “just a kid from Tulsa.”

Razorbacks head coach Eric Musselman also had much to say about Chaney in a statement to WholeHogSports. He said the “men's basketball family is devastated to hear of the loss of Reggie Chaney.”

Musselman described Chaney as a “relentless worker” who was “loved by his coaches and teammates.” He also assured that Chaney's family is in their thoughts and prayers.

Chaney was a vital part of the Houston Cougars basketball team, as evident in how his coach regarded him.

According to KHOU-11, the Houston Cougars coach Kelvin Sampson described Chaney as his “security blanket” in March. In other words, Chaney was one of Sampson's most dependable players he could trust to grind out results.

He played in over 100 games for the Cougars, a remarkable feat considering how much he battled with injuries while there. Chaney's memory continues to be honored as more tributes pour in from former teammates and friends.