Big Blue Nation mourns death of Terrence Clarke

LEXINGTON, Ky. (WKYT) - Family, Friends, and the Big Blue Nation are mourning the death of Terrence Clarke.

The former UK basketball player died Thursday following a crash in Los Angeles.

Los Angeles police say Clarke was driving fast, ran a red light and hit a pole. He was taken to the hospital where he died. Police say the 19-year-old was not wearing his seatbelt properly.

Clarke had just left a workout with former Wildcat BJ Boston. Boston was in the car behind Clarke. Boston was not hurt.

Clarke’s death came as a shock not only to the Big Blue Nation, but the sports world.

He declared for the NBA draft in March.

The 6-foot-7 guard scored in double figures in four of his first five games and was shooting 49.1% prior to the North Carolina game when he suffered his leg injury. Clarke played through the injury in the UNC game and the next game at Louisville before being sidelined for the conference season.

Despite missing more than two months of action, Clarke battled back to provide support and depth for his teammates in the Southeastern Conference tournament game against Mississippi State.

Clarke signed with Kentucky out of Boston as one of the top prospects in the 2020 high school class. A consensus 5-star prospect, he was ranked as high as No. 8 in the final rivals rankings.

Clarke and BJ Boston had both signed with Klutch Sports on Wednesday, the agency that represents LeBron James, the former Cats had been in LA working out in preparation for the NBA draft.

Friday evening, teammates and fans will come together to share their support for Clarke and his family. At 8:30, there will be a candlelight vigil outside the Wildcat Coal Lodge, the dorm where the basketball players stay.

The public is welcome to attend. People are asked to wear a mask and practice social distancing.

Copyright 2021 WKYT. All rights reserved.