Mother of late NBA prospect and University of Kentucky basketball star Terrence Clarke pays tribute on what would have been his 22nd birthday
- Terrence Clarke passed away just weeks prior to the 2021 Draft following a car accident
- Clarke’s former University of Kentucky coach John Calipari paid tribute today
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The mother of late former University of Kentucky basketball star Terrence Clarke has posted a tribute to her son on what would have been Clarke’s 22nd birthday.
Osmine posted a video showing Clarke’s tombstone surrounded by balloons, flowers and of course two basketballs, in honor of his life.
Clarke was killed just weeks prior to the 2021 NBA Draft and was expected to be drafted by one of the league’s 30 franchises.
In another photo Osmine shared in her stories, she wrote “Happy Birthday, I miss you so much.”
Clarke’s former Kentucky coach John Calipari also paid tribute to Clarke, captioning a photo of him in a No. 5 jersey; “Happy Birthday to Heaven, Terrence.”
Terrence Clarke’s mother, Osmine, celebrated what would have been her son’s 22nd birthday
Kentucky freshman security guard Terrence Clarke (center) was killed in a car accident in LA on April 22, 2021
Just weeks before his death, Clarke had declared himself an NBA Drafter after one season with Great Britain
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver honored Clarke during the first round of the 2021 NBA Draft
He had entered the draft after playing only one season in Kentucky. He died on April 22, 2021 at the age of 19 following a car accident in Los Angeles.
The crash occurred on Winnetka Avenue in the city’s northwest after Clarke, 19, attended a workout with his former Wildcats teammate and fellow NBA hopeful Brandon Boston Jr.
The six-foot-tall security guard had not worn his seatbelt properly and was taken to Northridge Hospital, where he was pronounced dead, according to police.
Clarke was posthumously selected by the league as a 2021 draft pick at the Barclays Center event.
Out of the Dorchester neighborhood of Boston, Clarke started Kentucky’s first six games in 2021 and was one of the leading scorers, culminating in a career-high 22 points in a loss to Georgia Tech on December 6 of that year.
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver honored Clarke Thursday night at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center before inviting the Boston native’s family onstage. Clarke’s mother Osmine was seen crying as she walked in from the crowd amid calls of ‘Terrence! Terrence!’
“It is my honor to now announce that the NBA is selecting Terrence Clarke of the University of Kentucky in its next pick in the 2021 NBA draft,” Silver said as Clarke’s family members take the stage and don NBA hats.