WILLEMSTAD, DEN BOSCH - Former basketball player and national coach Randy Wiel has passed away at the age of 74, his former club Den Bosch announced today. Born in Curaçao, Wiel was widely regarded as the greatest basketball player to ever come from the island.

Between 1991 and 1993, he served as head coach of the Dutch national basketball team and earned 53 caps as a player for the Netherlands.

Wiel also built an extensive coaching career in the United States, including a stint with the NBA’s Los Angeles Lakers.

In the Netherlands, he led EiffelTowers Den Bosch to two national championships between 2005 and 2009, cementing his legacy as one of Dutch basketball’s most respected figures.