Who are Terrence Clarke's parents? Mom Osmine Clarke and father Adrian Briggs influenced him to ‘carry his family’
A deadly accident took the life of a promising college basketball player for the Kentucky Wildcats of the Southeastern Conference. Terrence Clarke — one of the best shooting guards in the 2020 class — reportedly died in Los Angeles in a tragic car crash. He was 19 years old.
According to WKYT sources, the NBA Draft prospect was killed after working out with BJ Boston. The Valley Traffic Division of Los Angeles Police confirmed the news and said the accident happened at 2.10 PT on Winnetka Avenue. Police reports say he was traveling at high speed when his car hit another vehicle and rammed into a pole and block wall.
His mother was at his side at the time of death. The tragic news left social media users in deep shock as he signed with an NBA agent a day before. Here's a look at the young player's life, his parents and his spectacular career after the 2021 NBA Draft pick.
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‘I had no childhood because I wanted to play basketball’
Born on September 6, 2001, Terrence Clarke was raised by his mother Osman Clarke and father Adrian Briggs. After spending his childhood at the Vine Street Community Center, he moved to Roslindale. “I lived at Vine Street. I would go there from 8 am to work out, then I would get some food, come back, take a nap in the computer room, and then go back and play again,” Clarke said in an interview.
His passion for basketball first sparked at his grandfather’s house where the old Larry Bird-Magic Johnson Celtics-Lakers games on NBATV had him glued to the TV set. Brandon Watson, a gym teacher at Young Achievers Academy in Mattapan, who first gave Clarke his formal introduction said, “From the moment he got introduced to the game or saw it, he probably ate, slept, and pooped basketball... He was always a little bit better than everyone else.”
Dexter Foy and Maurice Smith were his mentors in his early years who helped boost his skills. Remembering Foy's support, Clarke once said, “He took me in as a son. He was the one that put me in the gym and found me a trainer, but also took me in like his own.” He added, “I had no childhood because the main thing I wanted to do was play basketball.”
Who are Terrence Clarke's parents?
Clarke's parents Osman and Adrian work incredibly hard for their family. Clarke was raised along with three siblings, Tatyana Gray, Gavin Clarke and Madison Adrianne. His mother worked three jobs at one point and Clarke once confessed that his mom influenced him the most in life.
On September 14, 2019, Clarke picked the University of Kentucky over offers from Boston College, Duke, Memphis, Texas Tech, and UCLA. At first, his mother thought he was a Duke kid and wanted him to go there. In a ‘Day in the Life’ documentary, she exclaimed how she found out he would be a better fit at Kentucky. “I really wanted him to go to Duke. But then I thought about it and I was like, oh no, he’s not a Duke kid. He is more a Kentucky kid.” Comparing it to the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, she said, “You know how, like, Carlton Banks is more like a Duke, but you’re more rough around the edges, like a Kentucky. You’re like Will Smith. That’s how I figured [Kentucky] would be perfect for you.”
Some of his biggest inspirations were Tyler Herro, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Hamidou Diallo.
‘You’ve got to sacrifice some things’
Clarke's life has been full of surprises. He fondly remembered the time when he attended a Celtics game at 8 and met Rondo. “I stopped and froze,” said Clarke. “I don’t know how the security let me do this, but I ran to him screaming, ‘Rondo! Rondo!’ I shut down crying and he said, ‘Keep working.’ That advice changed me.”
Did you know he had a No. 6 jersey at first? The five-star recruit chose No. 5 because he once forgot his No. 6 jersey before a game and was forced to take the No. 5 one. Surprisingly, he played so well that he stuck to that ever since.
In an interview, he once spoke about his passion for the game and said, “It’s like, you’ve got to sacrifice some things. That’s how I look at it. I’ve got to sacrifice being in the neighborhood to focus on my game, school, and books. Of course I love the game, but I want to carry my family.” Chalking out his dreams for the future, he added, “There’s kids out here that play basketball [but are] never known because they never had the opportunity. I want to do a lot for the community, [be] the guy the younger kids to look up to and say, ‘I want to be like him, or better.’”