'''Nicolaas Vanos''' (April 13, 1963 - August 16, 1987) was a basketball player for the Phoenix Suns basketball team. The San Mateo, California native was selected 32nd by the Suns in the 1985 NBA Draft, after playing collegiately at Santa Clara. He played for the Suns as a center on the team.

His career with the Suns only lasted two years before coming to a tragic end. On August 16, 1987, Vanos boarded Northwest Airlines Flight 255 for a trip to Phoenix, Arizona. The McDonnell-Douglas DC-9 crashed on takeoff, killing 154 passengers and crew, as well as two motorists. Four-year-old Cecelia Cichan was the only survivor of the crash.

Strangely, Vanos' jersey and number were not retired by the Phoenix Suns after his death.

Biography courtesy of the brilliant Wikipedia!