McLinton, 52, had asked for prayers on Facebook on Thursday, April 11, 2024 from a hospital bed. That very day, the team announced his passing.
McLinton, whose father was former Redskins linebacker Harold McLinton, spent four years playing for the Terps, ranking fourth in program history and serving as co-captain his senior year, according to UMD's school paper The Diamondback.
A Silver Spring native, McLinton went on to coach the AAU basketball team DC Premier, who mourned his loss on X.
McLinton's son, KJ, is a freshman guard for the Wakefield Warriors in Arlington. A GoFundMe for KJ and McLinton's wife, Anita, had raised more than $5,500 as of press time.
"Like so many of you, Kim and I continue to feel heartbroken at the loss of Kevin McLinton whose warm and generous nature touched so many lives," Jim Davis writes. "Anybody who knew Kevin has at least one story of how he lifted them up and helped them through a tough time.
"That has certainly been true for our family as he became so much more than just my son's basketball coach over the last 4 years. That big smile and assurance that things would be ok. You all know how loyal he was. How he cherished, above all else, time with family and friends."
Funeral services had not been publicly announced.
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