The tragic demise of Jayson Tatum has left the world of basketball in a state of utter shock. Subsequently, the young 19-year-old from the Kentucky Wildcats had just declared for the NBA and was prepared to get drafted. Notable players like Dwayne Wade and Jayson Tatum have paid their respects to the departed soul.
In a recent post-game press conference, Jayson Tatum talked about the time he met Clarke. He said, “I met him after my rookie year. He was a great kid. Obviously, he was extremely talented. It was just the kind of person he was.”
He further continued, “He was always smiling and was in a good mood. Over the last three years, I have been in the gym with him. He used to come to a lot of our home games. He even came to my birthday dinner last year. We talked a lot over the phone. Kind of like a little brother, someone who reached out for advice. He was a really good kid, ready to make it big.”
Originally from Boston, Terrence Clarke was a bright kid who had dreams of playing in the NBA. Following that, his coaches and teammates remember him as the most prolific player on the team. The reason behind his untimely death was a car crash in LA on Thursday afternoon.
LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY – DECEMBER 26: Terrence Clarke #5 of the Kentucky Wildcats shoots the ball against the Louisville Cardinals
“I am absolutely gutted and sick tonight,” Kentucky men’s basketball head coach John Calipari said, according to a Kentucky press release. “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.”
Conversely, the loss of a young talent is deeply saddening for any sport. Hence, the death of Terrence Clarke is no different. The 19-year-old was the definition of a model athlete. Clarke was also very optimistic about his approach toward the game of basketball.
