His jazz recording career began in 1995 , two years before his 1997 NBA retirement , with a debut CD that rose to No . 4 on Billboard 's Contemporary Jazz chart and crossed over onto the R & B charts , the bio said . NEW : Former classmates and friends mourn ` ` the nicest man in the world '' . Tisdale was college and pro basketball star , later jazz musician . Tisdale had two - year battle with cancer ; he was 44 when he died Friday . Death called ` ` a complete shock '' ; he was about to record with Norman Petty .
NEW : Former classmates and friends mourn ` ` the nicest man in the world '' . Tisdale was college and pro basketball star , later jazz musician . Tisdale had two - year battle with cancer ; he was 44 when he died Friday . Death called ` ` a complete shock '' ; he was about to record with Norman Petty .