Danielle Ballard, a former college basketball standout, died at the age of 29 after being hit by a car.
The incident occurred on Thursday morning in Memphis’ Raleigh area, Tennessee, about a 10-minute drive from FedExForum, home of the Memphis Grizzles NBA team.
At before 1.30 a.m., the 29-year-old hoop star was hit at an intersection and sent to Regional One Health hospital, where she died.
According to Memphis police, the motorist, who has not been recognized officially, remained at the site.
It’s unclear whether the driver has faced any charges.
Ballard, a four-star recruit out of high school, led Central High School to a state championship in 2011, scoring 21 points and grabbing 10 rebounds.
During her three seasons with Louisiana State University, the Memphis native was a standout.
During her stay with the squad, she averaged 12.1 points, nearly seven rebounds, and 2.8 assists per game.
Ballard’s college honours includes two Southeastern Conference (SEC) All-Defensive Team selections and an All-SEC First Team selection for the 2014-15 season.
Her most memorable event at LSU came during the Tigers’ 2014 NCAA Tournament run, when she helped them reach the Sweet 16.
During the tournament, Ballard averaged more than 20 points per game, including 24 points and 17 rebounds in a first-round win over Georgia Tech and 22 points and 10 rebounds against No. 7 West Virginia.
Louisville finally defeated LSU in the Sweet 16 73-47, but not before Ballard provided 24 points and 10 rebounds.
LSU paid tribute to the star, writing: “We are deeply saddened by the passing of Danielle. She meant a great deal to our program and was such a big part of our women’s basketball family.
“It’s difficult to understand why this happened to someone who was so full of life and had so much promise. Our thoughts and prayers are with her family and friends.”
Jenna Deemer, Ballard’s former LSU teammate, paid tribute to the Memphis hoop star, tweeting: “LOVE REST PEACEFULLY MEMPHIS LEGEND #Danielleballard.”
And a fan shared: “R.I.P to a Memphis Legend. Danielle Ballard.”
