Wayman Tisdale

Wayman Tisdale

May 15, 2009 01:01 PM ET

David J. Prince, N.Y.
Wayman Tisdale, the one-time Oklahoma star and NBA player who recorded several jazz albums, died at 44 after a two year battle with cancer, the Associated Press reports.

Tisdale, a 6' 9" forward who was an Olympic gold medalist and three-time All-American for Oklahoma, played for the Indiana Pacers, Sacramento Kings, and Phoenix Suns during a 12 season NBA career.

A bass player, Tisdale made his jazz recording debut in 1995 with "Power Forward." He released eight albums, all of which were top 10 on Billboard's Contemporary Jazz Albums chart, including three that went to No. 1 -- 2001's "Face to Face," "Way Up!" in 2006 and his most recent album, 2008's "Rebound," which features a cover of Barry White's "Never Gonna Give You Up" with country singer Toby Keith on vocals.

Tisdale was diagnosed with bone cancer in 2007, and his right leg was amputated last August.