Phillip A. Sellers, Jr was born on November 20, 1953, in Brooklyn, New York to the late Phillip A. Sellers,
Sr and Rita Theresa Sellers (nee Bacon). Growing up in the Howard Houses in Brownsville, Brooklyn,
Phillip had a fondness for sports especially basketball. He excelled at Thomas Jefferson High School as a
power forward and went on to win the MVP Award of Pittsburgh's Dapper Dan Tournament, a
tournament that included the nation's top high school players. He earned Third-Team Parade All-
American honors and received scholarship offers to colleges across the country and was recruited by
then college coach Dick Vital. He decided to attend Rutgers University in New Brunswick, New Jersey.
While at Rutgers University as a Freshman, Phil averaged 19.5 points per game helping the team to the
1973 National Invitation Tournament. During the 1974-1975 season, he led Rutgers to a 22-7 record and
to their first NCAA Tournament appearance but only to lose in the first round to Louisville. Rutgers
would return the following season for another NCAA Tournament appearance in which Phil led them to
a 31-0 start, averaging a double-double and advancing them to the 1976 NCAA Final Four. Phil remains
Rutgers All-Time leading scorer (2,399 points) and rebounder (1,115 rebounds). On January 16, 1988, he
had his jersey number (#12) retired, having only been one of three basketball players to have been
honored. After graduating from Rutgers, Phil was picked in the third round of the 1976 NBA Draft by the
Detroit Pistons. He averaged 4.5 points per game only playing 44 games that season due to injuries and
was ultimately released from the team. Phil was inducted into Rutgers Athletics Hall of Fame in 1993
and the New York City Basketball Hall of Fame in 2010.
He went on to move to East Orange, New Jersey in 1992 with his wife of 24 years Patricia L. Sellers
where he worked for Margaretten Mortgage Company and then later with JP Morgan Chase. He would
later go on to work for Northeast Private Client Group until his retirement in 2018. Phillip A. Sellers Jr
entered into eternal rest on September 19, 2023 after battling months of illness. He is survived by his
children, his son Phillip A. Sellers III (Brooke Coveney) and his daughter Kendra Michelle Palmer (Elijah
Palmer); his siblings Diane Deas, and Bishop Tyrone Sellers (Monetah Sellers); his grandchildren, Khloe
Michelle Palmer, Kamryn Marie Palmer, Elijah Phillip Palmer, and London Arya Rose Coveney-Sellers; his
nephews, Terry Sellers (Penny Sellers), Danny Deas (Pamela Deas), David Deas, Norab Leigh and Timell
Grant (Tiffany Grant); his nieces Tina London, Yvette Nelson (Kenneth Nelson), Danielle Grant, Tyresa
Sellers, Veronica Sellers, and Gwendolyn Sellers. He was predeceased by his wife Patricia L. Sellers, his
parents, Phillip A Sellers Sr and Rita Theresa Sellers, his sister Renee Grant; brothers in law Timothy
Grant and John Deas and nephew in law Fred London; a host of cousins, great nieces, great nephews,
other relatives and beloved friends.