Former Butler standout Andrew Smith dies of cancer

Former Butler center Andrew Smith has died of cancer at age 25, his wife announced Tuesday.

Smith was a member of the Bulldogs during their back-to-back national championship appearances in 2010 and 2011.

He was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma in 2014 while playing professionally in Lithuania. After a bone marrow transplant in November, Smith discovered the disease had turned into leukemia.

Butler released the following statement:

The Butler community is profoundly sad today with the news of Andrew's passing. We saw the way Andrew fought on the basketball court and we saw the way he fought for his health. In both cases, we saw the best of Andrew Smith. But that's what we always saw from Andrew. He gave his all, all the time. As an Academic All-American, he represented the best of Butler in the classroom and on the court. Above all else, what made Andrew special was the way that he genuinely cared for others. Within his large frame was an even larger heart. He is, was, and always will be a Bulldog. The Butler community is proud to have been part of his life, and our thoughts are with his wife, Samantha; his parents, Debbie and Curt; and the rest of his family.

Brad Stevens, Smith's coach at Butler and current coach of the Boston Celtics, tweeted to show his support.