Who is BJ Boston? NBA prospect, 19, who survived Terrence Clarke's car crash played with LeBron James' son
Terrence Clarke, a Kentucky Wildcats guard and NBA draft prospect, died in a car crash at the age of 19, according to local news outlets WKYT and WLWT. Brandon Boston Jr, a teammate, was said to be in a nearby car after the two left a workout in Los Angeles, according to several sources.
He is said to be okay. A reporter tweeted: "CONFIRMED: Brandon Boston Jr. is OK. Sierra Canyon basketball assistant confirms Boston is OK. Boston was reportedly driving behind Terrence Clarke when Clarke was involved in a deadly accident." The Kentucky guard and NBA prospect was in the car behind Clarke's, an assistant confirmed on Tuesday. WKYT said that the two were leaving a workout in LA. Here's what's to know about him.
CONFIRMED: Brandon Boston Jr. is OK. Sierra Canyon basketball assistant confirms Boston is OK.
— Tarek Fattal (@Tarek_Fattal) April 23, 2021
Boston was reportedly driving behind Terrence Clarke when Clarke was involved in a deadly accident.
RELATED ARTICLES
How did Terrence Clarke die? Kentucky basketball star, 19, signed with NBA agent a day before death
Always Enjoy the Moments!! I Woke Up Missing the Game This Morning!!Hope Everyone is Having a Blessed Sunday and Staying Home and Safe!!🙏🏾🙏🏾#BBJ #BBN #SierraCanyon #EnjoyTheMoment pic.twitter.com/sA9K9ppLwy
— Brandon Boston Jr (@bboston_) March 29, 2020
Who is BJ Boston?
Born on November 28, 2001, Brandon "BJ" Boston Jr. is a basketball player from Pearl, Massachusetts who has declared for the NBA draft in 2021. Previously, he was a member of the Kentucky Wildcats. In a Bleacher Report interview, the 6'7" forward said he aspires to be a filmmaker one day, and he often jots down or types down ideas for films and television shows.
Until moving to Sierra Canyon School in the Los Angeles suburb of Chatsworth in 2019, Boston, 19, attended Norcross High School in Norcross, Georgia. There, he played alongside LeBron James' son Bronny James and Dwyane Wade's son Zaire Wade. He scored 18.4 points and 5.4 rebounds per game in his final season at Norcross.
'I play to win, put on a show'
"I play to win, play to put on a show," he said in the interview. "I want fans to know that I was the best player when they leave the building."
According to a 2019 report 247Sports.com, Boston is a five-star prospect and the No. 2 shooting guard in the country for the 2020 class. Duke, Kentucky, Florida, Auburn, and Oregon have all given him offers. His 2019 scouting report by Jerry Meyer reads: "A long athlete who is still growing. Has good athleticism and a natural feel for the game. Lack of strength needs to improve, especially to be effective long term on the defensive end. Terrific scorer who is effective at all three levels. Has a nose for the ball and the length to be a dangerous rebounder. Has tremendous upside, which makes him a potential lottery pick."
'Competing every day in practice made me a better player'
It was Brandon Sr, BJ's father, who put the ball in his son's hands, taking his son out early in the morning, to their local YMCA, or outside to go shoot around in their front driveway.
"We're all competitive," Boston said of his time playing a season at Sierra Canyon in 2020. "We all want to win, we all talk trash and we're all pretty good. ... Playing with those good guys, I feel like competing every day in practice made me a better player, made me want to work hard and play with other good players.
He was selected to play in the 2020 McDonald's All-American Boys Game and was also selected to play in the 2020 Jordan Brand Classic. Boston eventually committed to play college basketball at the University of Kentucky. In his college debut on November 25, 2020, Boston posted 13 points and seven rebounds in an 81–45 win over Morehead State.
Klutch Sports, Clarke's and Boston's agent, had recently signed them both. During Kentucky's first seven games last season, Clarke scored 10 points and three rebounds, including a career-high 22 points in a loss to Georgia Tech. Clarke would have entered the NBA Draft in three months. He was close with multiple members of the Celtics, including Jaylen Brown and Kemba Walker.
According to the LAPD, Clarke was speeding when he crossed a red light, collided with another car turning left, and went on to strike a pole and a block wall. Clarke was not wearing his seatbelt correctly, according to police.