Heidi Burge Horton, WNBA Star and Inspiration for Disney’s ‘Double Teamed,’ Dies at 54

Basketball fans and DCOM lovers alike are mourning the loss of a trailblazing athlete.

Heidi Burge Horton, a former WNBA star whose life story inspired Disney Channel’s 2002 movie Double Teamed, has died following a battle with brain cancer. She was 54.

Horton passed away on October 5 after being diagnosed with grade four glioblastoma, an aggressive brain tumor, last fall, according to her online obituary. After undergoing rounds of radiation and chemotherapy, she experienced a period of remission before the cancer returned in July 2026. Horton is survived by her husband, Patrick Horton, and their two children, Jonathan and Holly.

Standing at 6-foot-5, Horton and her twin sister, Heather Burge Quella, earned recognition from Guinness World Records in 1991 as the world’s tallest female twins. The duo started at Palos Verdes High School before taking their talents to the University of Virginia, where Horton established herself as a center and power forward.

After college, Horton continued her basketball career by playing overseas in France, Hungary, Italy, and Greece from 1993 to 1997. She then returned to the United States to help launch the WNBA’s inaugural era, playing for the Los Angeles Sparks in 1997 before wrapping up her playing days with the Washington Mystics in 1998. She transitioned into a career of physical therapy, private coaching, and media work with the Houston Comets after retiring from playing professionally.

Outside of her career as an athlete, many entertainment and pop culture fans came to know her through Double Teamed, which dramatized her and her sister’s lives and journey to basketball stardom. Though the film took a few creative liberties, such as a dramatic showdown in the final scene (per the sisters, that never happened), it captured the core of their resilience and bond.

We are deeply saddened by the passing of Heidi Burge Horton. Heidi was a cherished member of the Virginia Women’s Basketball family, her legacy will forever be a part of Virginia Athletics. Our sincere condolences to her family and loved ones. https://t.co/j49F20cabU

— Virginia Women’s Basketball (@UVAWomensHoops) October 8, 2026

Tributes poured in following her passing, including from her alma mater, the University of Virginia, honoring the legacy she left behind at the school.

“We are deeply saddened by the passing of Heidi Burge Horton,” the post from the official Virginia Women’s Basketball account on X read. “Heidi was a cherished member of the Virginia Women’s Basketball family, her legacy will forever be part of Virginia Athletics. Our sincere condolences to her family and love ones.”

Back in 2010, Heidi was kind enough to spend some time with my aau team. I appreciate her commitment to sharing her knowledge of the game with younger players. May she rest in peace. https://t.co/NJ6eijfrhf

— Brianna Turner (@_Breezy_Briii) October 9, 2026

Others in the sports and basketball community also shared their tributes for Horton. Brianna Turner, a WNBA athlete who plays for the Las Vegas Aces, reminisced on the time she and Horton crossed paths.

“Back in 2010, Heidi was kind enough to spend some time with my aau team,” Turner wrote on X. “I appreciate her commitment to sharing her knowledge of the game with younger players. May she rest in peace.”