Today is the burial day for the Kentucky Wildcats key player who died in an automobile accident….
Terrence Clarke, a rookie guard for the Kentucky Wildcats men’s basketball team this past season, died in a car accident in the Los Angeles region on Thursday, according to reports.
Clarke was nineteen years old.
Sgt. John Matassa of the Valley Traffic Division of the Los Angeles Police Department told ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne that Clarke was the sole occupant of a vehicle that ran a red light “at a very high rate of speed” in the San Fernando Valley neighborhood of Los Angeles at 2:10 p.m.
“The event was caught on surveillance video. He collided with another vehicle that was about to make a left turn. “He struck the vehicle, then a street light pole, and finally a block wall,” Matassa added. “He was transported to Northridge Hospital and was later pronounced deceased as a result of the collision.”
Matassa stated that the driver of the second car, which was a truck, did not report any injuries. Clarke was driving a 2021 Hyundai Genesis and was not wearing his seatbelt properly, according to Matassa.
Clarke’s mother was with him when he died, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
“I am absolutely gutted and sick tonight,” Kentucky coach John Calipari stated. “A young person we all care about died far too early, with all of his aspirations and hopes ahead of him. Terrence Clarke was a lovely child who commanded the room with his charisma, grin, and delight. People gravitated toward him, and hearing that we have lost him is difficult for all of us to accept right now. We’re all in shock.
“Terrence’s teammates and brothers adored him and are completely crushed. They understand that we are there to them for whatever assistance they may require.
“I am on my way to Los Angeles to support his mother and brother in any way I can. This will be a terrible time for those who know and love Terrence, and I would want to ask that everyone take a moment tonight to pray for him and his family. “May he rest peacefully.”
Former Kentucky NBA players also took to social media to express their grief over Clarke’s death.
Clarke announced last month that he was entering this year’s NBA draft and he had signed with Klutch Sports. The school said in a statement that Clarke was preparing for the draft.
“We are saddened and devastated by the tragic loss of Terrence Clarke,” Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul said in a statement. “Terrence was an incredible, hard-working young man. He was excited for what was ahead of him and ready to fulfill his dreams. Our prayers go out to Terrence and his family, who ask for privacy during this difficult time.”
This past season, Clarke played in the first seven games for the Wildcats but was sidelined with an ankle injury that kept him out until the season finale against Mississippi State. He finished the year averaging 9.6 points.
Clarke was a projected lottery pick entering the season. He was listed at No. 72 in the most recent version of ESPN’s top 100 best available prospects for the draft.
“As an adolescent, having the privilege to put on the Kentucky uniform and play in front of the BBN was always a lifelong goal of mine,” Clarke said on social media last month. “Although it was hindered due to things out of my own control, the experience is something I will keep with me forever. I have grown a lot with this experience and I will never take it for granted.”
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