NBA prospect Terrence Clarke passes away in tragic car crash

By Leobert Julian A. de la Peña

 

One of the emerging young stars in the incoming class of the next NBA draft passed away in a tragic car crash in Los Angeles, California.

University of Kentucky Wildcats star guard Terrence Clarke was involved in a car crash after driving through a red light and crashed against a vehicle that was about to turn left.

The 19-year-old guard just finalized his contract with Klutch Sports, an American sports agency bannered by NBA superstars like LeBron James, Anthony Davis, and Ben Simmons.

Many people in the basketball scene were shocked and expressed their condolences as the incident happened a day after Klutch Sports formally welcomed the young hooper.

John Calipari, Kentucky’s long-time legendary coach, expressed how he felt right after hearing the news together with some basketball personalities.

“I am absolutely gutted and sick tonight. A young person who we all love has just lost his life too soon, one with all of his dreams and hopes ahead of him. Terrence Clarke was a beautiful kid, someone who owned the room with his personality, smile and joy. People gravitated to him, and to hear we have lost him is just hard for all of us to comprehend right now. We are all in shock,” said Calipari.

Clarke just announced he was declaring for the 2022 NBA draft after being the focal point of coach Calipari’s offensive scheme in the Wildcats’ system.

Considered as a college five-star recruit, Clarke averaged an impressive stat line of 9.6 points, 2.6 rebounds, and 2.0 assists with the Wildcats before getting absorbed by Klutch Sports.

Clarke was predicted to be a steal in the second-round by numerous NBA analysts and would have been in the same draft class with NBA G League Ignite prospects Daishen Nix and Isaiah Todd.