(CNN) -- Wayman Tisdale, who became a successful jazz musician after retiring from pro basketball, died Friday morning after a two-year battle with cancer, his agent said.

Tisdale, 44, died in a Tulsa, Oklahoma, hospital, where his wife took him when he had trouble breathing early Friday, agent Scott Pang said.

Tisdale's death was "a complete shock" and came as he prepared to return to the recording studio next week to work on a project with jazz guitarist Norman Brown, Pang said.

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