Former Arizona State basketball, ABA star Art Becker dies at 84
Art Becker, who starred with Arizona State basketball in the early 1960s and later became a two-time ABA All-Star, has died.
Art Becker, who starred on Arizona State 's basketball teams in the early 1960s and later became a two-time ABA All-Star, died on April 30. He was 84. Becker died at his Tempe home under hospice care surrounded by family, said his wife, Lynn.
Becker also had two stints as head men's basketball coach at Scottsdale Community College (1974-81 and 1993-96), where he also served as athletic director. Becker's son Mark was the star center on Tempe McClintock's 1986 state basketball championship team. Art Becker had battled prostate cancer for 25 years, Lynn said, and was recently diagnosed with leukemia.
"Many of the coaches from Scottsdale tell the same story," she said. "Many of them, people of color, never had the chance to be a head coach until Art hired them. People like B.
B. Fontenet and Bike Medder. All those people are so grateful and indebted to Art for that.