Mitchell Wiggins, an American professional shooting guard in the NBA, tragically lost his life at 64 on September 9, 2024. His wife and six children survive him.
His wife, Marita Payne, is a former Canadian track and field athlete who competed in two consecutive Summer Olympics.
Highlights
- Mitchell Wiggins and Marita Payne met at Florida State University, where he played basketball for the Seminoles, and she was a star sprinter on the track and field team.
- They married and welcomed six children, supporting each other’s athletic journeys focused on hard work and dedication.
- Their son, Andrew, won his first NBA Championship with the Warriors and became the first Canadian NBA player to reach 1000 three-pointers.
Mitchell Lee Wiggins began playing basketball at North Lenoir High School and played college basketball with Florida State University, Clemson University, and Truett-McConnell College.
Indiana Pacers selected him with the 23rd overall pick in the 1983 NBA draft but traded him to the Chicago Bulls for Sidney Lowe and a second-round pick.
Later, the Bulls traded him to the Houston Rockets in the 1984 off-season, where he tested positive for cocaine in 1987. Thus, he faced a two-and-a-half-year suspension from the league.
His last NBA season was with the Philadelphia 76ers, and he scored 3,877 points in his NBA career.
Afterward, Mitchell moved to Europe and had a notable career in the Greek League, playing for Panionios Nea Smyrni, Milon Nea Smyrni, and Sporting Athens.
Mitchell Wiggins’ Legacy Lives On Through His Wife, Marita Payne
Mitchell Wiggins and Marita Payne met while attending the Florida State University. They were stellar athletes in their youth.
He played basketball for the Seminoles, while Marita was a star sprinter on the track and field team.
Mitchell Wiggins and Marita eventually began dating and married. They supported each other’s athletic journeys and raised their six children, focusing on hard work and dedication.
Along with Jillian Richardson, Marita is the co-Canadian record holder in the 400 meters and held the Canadian record in the 200 meters.
She blossomed into a star sprinter after joining her parents, Ina and Clarence Payne, who had left her in Barbados.
In 1979, she was an Ontario provincial champion in both the senior 100 meters and 200 meters. Later, she joined FSU, becoming a 21-time NCAA All-American and 400-meter national champion.
Marita won several medals at the 1979 Pan American Games, the IAAF World Cup, the Commonwealth Games, and the 1983 Universiade.
She won a silver medal in the 4 × 400 meters relay at the 1984 Summer Olympics and helped the Canadian 4 × 400 meters relay team win a gold medal at the 1986 Commonwealth Games.
Shortly after the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, she retired from track and field but was inducted into the FSU Hall of Fame in 1991.
Likewise, she was inducted into the Canadian Olympic Hall of Fame in 2001, and the city of Vaughan, Ontario, named a park in her honor.
Mitchell Wiggins And Marita Payne Have Six Children
The married couple guided their children through the competitive world of professional athletics without losing sight of the essentials of life.
Their children followed Mitchell’s footsteps and pursued a career in professional football.
Their eldest son, Mitchell Jr., played for Southeastern University, and their middle son, Nicholas Wiggins, played for the Pacific Caesar Surabaya of the Indonesian Basketball League (IBL).
Nick was undrafted in the 2014 NBA draft and joined the Sacramento Kings for the 2014 NBA Summer League. Later, he signed a one-year deal with Tigers Tübingen of the German Basketball Bundesliga.
Idaho Stampede of the NBA Development League acquired him on January 9, 2015, where he averaged 9.8 points and 2.0 rebounds per game.
Moreover, he signed with the Minnesota Timberwolves on September 18, 2015, but left after appearing in four preseason games.
Afterward, he played with Rabotnicki of the Macedonian First League and Orangeville A’s of the National Basketball League of Canada.
Mitchell and Marita’s youngest son, Andrew Wiggins, is a Canadian professional basketball player for the Golden State Warriors.
Cleveland Cavaliers selected him in the 2014 NBA draft but traded him to the Minnesota Timberwolves on August 23.
He earned NBA Rookie of the Year honors for the 2014–15 season and was traded to the Golden State Warriors in 2020 after five-and-a-half seasons with the Timberwolves.
He won his first NBA Championship with the Warriors and became the first Canadian NBA player to reach 1000 three-pointers.
Mitchell and Marita had three daughters: Stephanie, Angelica, and Taya Wiggins. Taya and Angelica are also athletes, but there is no information about Stephanie.
Additional Information
- Mitchell Wiggins was born on September 28, 1959, in Kinston, North Carolina.
- He won the silver medal playing for the US national basketball team at the 1982 FIBA World Championship.
- After retiring from professional playing, he tried coaching in the lower leagues in the 2000s.
