Lee University’s athletic department announced the death of former men’s basketball player Noah Boler-Kyle, sending shockwaves through the Cleveland, Tennessee campus and the wider basketball community that knew him as a beloved teammate and friend.
The university shared the news on its official Lee University Flames Facebook page, offering condolences to everyone who knew and loved him and drawing on Psalm 34:18 to comfort those grieving his loss.
Boler-Kyle, a 6-foot-9 forward from Decatur, Alabama, spent his college career with the Flames after signing with the program out of Decatur Heritage Christian Academy in 2019.
He wrapped up his final season in 2024-2025 as a graduate student studying criminal justice, appearing in 27 games and averaging close to 10 points and more than five rebounds per contest. Just months before his death, he was honored on senior day at Walker Arena alongside two other graduating teammates.
Tributes Pour In From Teammates and Opponents
News of his passing quickly drew an outpouring of grief from people across the basketball world, including opposing players who faced him on the court. One commenter who described competing against him said he was a joy to watch play and clearly cherished by his teammates. Others who knew him personally, including friends from his hometown and former classmates, expressed disbelief, with several noting they had spoken with him only days earlier.
Family friends also began sharing updates in the comments of related posts. One update, attributed to someone close to the family, indicated Boler-Kyle passed away around midday and that he was an organ donor, with his loved ones gathered in Birmingham as that process moved forward.
The same post noted a memorial service was being planned for the following Saturday to allow college friends and out of town relatives time to travel, though final arrangements had not yet been confirmed at the time of the post.
As of now, no official cause of death has been released by the university or the family, and Lee University’s statement did not include additional details beyond expressing sympathy for those affected.
Boler-Kyle’s parents, Tommy and Heather Kyle, along with his mother Parthenia Orr, have received an outpouring of support from the Lee community, his high school network back in Alabama, and basketball fans who followed his career. Comments continued to flow in throughout the day, many simply offering prayers for his family and friends during what several described as an incredibly difficult time.
Lee University has not yet announced whether it plans to hold a separate tribute or moment of recognition for Boler-Kyle, though further updates are expected as memorial plans are finalized in the coming days.
