Larry Florence dies at 49: Former Nebraska basketball great fought nine-year battle with rare blood cancer

Former Nebraska basketball great Larry Florence died at age 49, the team announced, following a nine-year battle with a rare blood cancer called multiple myeloma. 

Nebraska remembers Florence as one of its most experienced and highly accomplished scorers in program history. He remains a top-20 player in career points (1,223) and starts (105). The four-year starter was a team captain during his senior year and generally regarded as a premier defender.

The Cornhuskers qualified for postseason tournaments in three of Florence’s four years as a lineup regular. They won at least one game in the NIT in 1997 and 1999, and punched their ticket to the NCAA Tournament in his sophomore campaign. Twice they hit the 20-win threshold — an accomplishment the program achieved just twice more in the ensuing two-plus decades.

“I want to live,” Florence said in April to the to the Columbus Ledger-Enquirer. “I want to be here for my daughter, my family and friends and enjoy life. I don’t want to just give up.”

Florence improved on a perennial basis and closed his career as Nebraska’s leading scorer during the 1999-2000 season at 13.0 points per game. He logged personal bests in every category that season with 5.4 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 1.5 steals and 0.6 blocks per game. He was an honorable mention All-Big 12 selection by the league’s coaches that year.

Following his college career, Florence embarked on a professional career abroad and played in seven different countries over eight years. He then returned to the United States and became a youth coach in the Columbus, Ohio area. Florence detailed his cancer journey earlier this year Ledger-Enquirer and shared that he lost 55 pounds during his treatment. He was unable to hold a full-time job since 2024 and received financial support through a GoFundMe account to cover five-figure debts accrued through medical bills.

“I want people to really concentrate on, especially men in general, to not be so manly,” Florence said before his death. “Get your checkups. Get your blood work done.”