Remembering a Texas Basketball Icon
Jason Klotz, a 44‑year‑old former basketball player from Klein Forest, Texas, passed away, leaving a legacy that began on the high school courts where he led his team to the 2000 state title game and delivered a 30‑point blowout against McDonald’s All‑American Brian Boddicker in the semifinal.
At the collegiate level he starred for both North Texas and the University of Texas, helping the Longhorns secure three consecutive Sweet 16 appearances and a Final Four run with the 2003 squad, a season in which he averaged 11.2 points, 5.8 rebounds and 1.1 blocks per game and earned co‑MVP honors alongside Daniel Gibson.
After college, Klotz entered the NBA summer league with the Orlando Magic before launching a six‑year professional career that took him across continents, playing in China, Japan, Spain, Turkey, the Netherlands and Uruguay.
He eventually settled in Magnolia, Texas, where he worked as a sales manager in the oil and gas industry, a transition that reflected his ability to build new successes beyond the hardwood.
Former teammate P.J. Tucker paid tribute, calling Klotz a “damn dawg” and a brother, underscoring the deep bonds he forged throughout his basketball journey.