LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- A former University of Louisville men's basketball player who was larger than life was remembered on Saturday.

Felton Spencer died last week. Loved ones attended a public memorial honoring Felton Spencer at Southeast Christian Church in Louisville on Saturday.

Spencer, a Louisville native, played basketball for the University of Louisville before playing 12 seasons in the NBA.

The visitation started at 10 a.m. and a celebration of life was held at noon. Numerous people spoke at the event, including former teammates, community leaders and friends.

Scooter McCray, a former player and coach at UofL, said Spencer worked hard to become a professional basketball player.

"Felton worked so hard to become a better player that he is the epitome now of what you can do," McCray said. "Everybody that comes to Louisville that has talent who hasn't matured in their talent, work like Felton, watch what Felton did."

Spencer's love and compassion of others highlighted some eulogies.

"He was special because he could move in and out of any situation and fit and he did that in a way that made people love him," Craig Hawley said.

Spencer was remembered for his encouragement, kindness and smile. 

"He became such a good player, such a good role model, such a good teammate that the community loved Felton," McCray said. "Not only because he was a basketball player, but because of the person that he was."

Spencer died last weekend at the age of 55. His cause of death has not been released.

"We all got to know and love that huge smile that he had and that huge laugh, that smile would light up a room and his laughter would fill that room up," said former UofL basketball player Roger Burkman. 

The city of Louisville made a proclamation recognizing Spencer’s mentorship even off the court when he worked as a security guard at Atherton High School in Louisville, and later as an assistant coach at Spalding University in 2011. He joined Scott Davenport’s staff at Bellarmine in 2016-17 and spent two seasons there.

The funeral service for Spencer is private.

Any donation's in Spencer's name can be made to Wayside Christian Ministries or Southwest Christian Church.

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