By Associated Press
Tulsa, OK – TULSA, Okla. (AP) Thousands packed a downtown Tulsa arena today for a lively and musical public memorial service to honor Wayman Tisdale.
The former University of Oklahoma basketball star, NBA player and popular jazz musician died last week at age 44 after a long battle with cancer.
Tisdale's casket was carried by horse-drawn carriage on a 3-mile procession to the BOK Center.
Singer Toby Keith, Tisdale's former coach Billy Tubbs and former NBA players Charles Smith and Rory Sparrow were among those participating in the service.
Keith performed the Willie Nelson song, "Angel Flying Too Close To The Ground." He said he wrote a song about Tisdale but couldn't perform it given the emotion of the day.