Ex-NBA forward Charlie Villanueva reveals he was victim of scary hit-and-run crash
Apr 8, 2015; Dallas, TX, USA; Dallas Mavericks forward Charlie Villanueva (3) warms up before the game against the Phoenix Suns at the American Airlines Center. The Mavericks defeated the Suns 107-104. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
Former NBA forward Charlie Villanueva is recovering after a very scary incident this week.
Villanueva revealed in a post to his Instagram account Wednesday that he and his wife Lala were the victims of a bad hit-and-run crash. The couple were riding in a Mercedes G Wagon when they were hit from behind by a driver who then fled the scene. Villanueva and his wife were fortunately able to avoid serious injury, but the pictures shared by Villanueva in the post showed the frightening extent of the crash.
“My wife and I got hit bad by another car, and the crazy part is that whomever hit me, decided to run,” Villanueva wrote in the post. “Sore neck, sore back, messed up car, we are thankful to see another day. Our lives can’t be replaced, but the vehicle can. Thank you God for protecting us.”
Here is Villanueva’s full post.
Now 39 years old, Villanueva first rose to fame in college with the UConn Huskies, playing an important role off the bench for their 2004 national title team. After one more season in college, Villanueva was drafted No. 7 overall by the Toronto Raptors in 2005 and made the NBA’s All-Rookie First Team. He went on to play 11 total seasons in the league from 2005-16 (for Toronto, Milwaukee, Detroit, and Dallas) and finished with career averages of 10.4 points and 4.6 rebounds per game. After his playing career ended though, Villanueva also found himself as the victim of another even stranger crime.