Jack Haley/Photo by Stephen Shugerman, Getty Images

Jack Haley, a former UCLA center who went on to play in nine seasons in the NBA, died Monday at age 51 of heart disease. Haley was a member of the San Antonio Spurs during the 1994-95 season, as were Clippers coach Doc Rivers and the eccentric Dennis Rodman.

Rivers on Tuesday night fondly recalled the relationship between Haley and Rodman.

“He was crazy,” Rivers said of Haley. “Him and Dennis Rodman were very, very tight and to say they kept things loose in our locker room and off the floor, would be an understatement. He also was a very good instigator in games.

“That was something that Red Auerbach always, until his dying days, told me, ‘Add instigators if you can. Even if they don’t play a lot, they can help you in some way,’ and Jack did that very well.”