The basketball world is reeling right now following the tragic death of former Kentucky guard and 2021 NBA Draft hopeful Terrence Clarke.
Clarke, who had signed with Klutch Sports Group on Wednesday, was killed in a car crash in Los Angeles, per reports. He was only 19 years old.
Seeing such a young, talented athlete pass so suddenly and unexpectedly is excruciating. Only a teenager, Clarke had made an impact on not just collegiate players, but up-and-coming recruits and current NBA standouts during his all-too-brief playing career.
The reaction to the news has been and overwhelming shock and sadness, and its coming from all over the basketball ranks.
Nah not lil bro
— Malik Monk (@AhmadMonk) April 23, 2021
No way
— Donovan Mitchell (@spidadmitchell) April 23, 2021
Rest Easy Terrence Clarke😞🙏🏽 pic.twitter.com/yyAgoEIhcT
— Trae Young (@TheTraeYoung) April 23, 2021
Brad Stevens said he just heard the Terrence Clarke news and isn’t up to talking about tonight’s game. He noted that Clarke is a Boston kid and that his son looks up to Clarke.
— Keith Smith (@KeithSmithNBA) April 23, 2021
“It’s hard to talk about basketball right now”
Brad Stevens reacts to the tragic news that former UK men’s basketball player Terrence Clarke has died pic.twitter.com/AUsE0qMGRJ
— Celtics on NBC Sports Boston (@NBCSCeltics) April 23, 2021
Rip T Clarke. You were so special bro. I remember when you were in 8th grade nervous as hell that you wouldn’t get a d1 offer and i told you that you were gonna be the greatest and don’t even worry about it. I can’t even believe this rn lil bro 💔💔
— Geo Baker (@Geo_Baker_1) April 23, 2021
Rest In Peace Terrence Clarke 🙏🏽😢 absolutely devastating to say the least
— Cassius Stanley (@cassius_stanley) April 23, 2021
Damn. RIP Terrence Clarke 🙏🏾
— 🏁 Jamal Crawford (@JCrossover) April 23, 2021
no way man
— Paolo (Paul-Oh)🇮🇹 (@Pp_doesit) April 23, 2021
RIP LIL BRO💕❤️ 💔 pic.twitter.com/IU22MqJjZr
— Shareef O’Neal (@SSJreef) April 23, 2021
A five-star recruit and the No. 8 overall player in the 2020 class, Clarke enrolled at Kentucky and was an immediate contributor as a freshman. In his fourth college game, he scored 22 points in a loss to Georgia Tech and followed that up with 14 in a game against Notre Dame.
However, Clarke would appear in only two more games–losses to Louisville and North Carolina–before missing an extended period of time with an ankle injury. He returned to play 10 minutes in Kentucky’s SEC Tournament loss to Mississippi State.
Clarke was expected to be chosen at some point in this year’s NBA Draft. Instead, his playing career, and more importantly his life, has been ended way too prematurely.
Our thoughts and prayers are with Clarke’s family, friends and former teammates, as well as the entire Kentucky basketball program, during this time.
The post Basketball World Heartbroken Over Terrence Clarke News appeared first on The Spun.