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Ex-Agent: Anthony Mason Showing Slight Improvement After Heart Attack

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- New York Knicks fan favorite Anthony Mason isn't out of the woods yet, but his condition has reportedly been upgraded slightly after suffering a heart attack at a local hospital.

His former agent, Don Cronson, told the New York Times that Mason's family gave him some cautiously positive news on Thursday.

"Right now, it's day to day, but that's an improvement from moment to moment," Cronson told the newspaper.

Former New York Post columnist Peter Vecsey was first to report on Wednesday that Mason, only 48 years old, was "fighting for his life" and would require a heart transplant should he survive.

Mason had been dealing with heart troubles for the past year and was at a hospital for testing "when (the) attack occurred," Vecsey tweeted.

On Twitter, the Knicks offered words of support while Anthony Mason Jr. thanked those who had his father in their prayers.

The elder Mason was beloved by Knicks fans for being one of the bruisers on the championship-contending teams of the '90s. He averaged 7.6 points during New York's playoff run to Game 7 of the NBA Finals in 1994 and then won the league's Sixth Man of the Year Award the following season.

Mason said last year on WFAN radio that he had been seeking a job with the Knicks.

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