NBA: Lorenzen Wright found dead
Lorenzen Wright was reported missing on 22nd July 2010 but a few days later, law enforcement officials found Lorenzen Wright’s body. The Commercial Appeal said that the body of the former Memphis player was found in southeast Memphis.
Investigators claimed that the last time Wright was last seen leaving his ex-wife’s home was on the 19th of July at around 2 a.m. The Memphis Police Department has declined any further comment regarding the death as it is still under investigation.
On Wednesday night, an unnamed source called the police and told them that they had found a body. However, when the police arrived to the scene, they recognized that the body was Lorenzen Wright.
During the same night, Sergeant Alyssa Macon-Moore of the Memphis Police Department sent an email to the media saying they were investigating the death and the man was still unidentified. However, the body was found about 15 miles to the south of Memphis in a downtown near the woods.
After the investigation, police called Wright’s uncle Curtis Wright who told the press that it has been confirmed that the dead body is indeed of Lorenzen Wright.
Lorenzen Wright’s family issued a statement saying they have appreciated the thoughts and prayers from his fans, bringing a lot of comfort to them as they mourn in his loss and honour his legacy. Wright’s family requested the media to respect their privacy as they wanted to cope with their sudden loss in peace.
Debroah Marion, who is late Wright’s mother, was distressed by the news and went with her family to the crime scene as she tried to cross the yellow tape but the police told her to move back. Wright’s mother was sent to the police van for emotional comfort but the distraught mother went running down the road once again to see her son when she was stopped by the police once again.
According to the missing person’s report, Wright flew from Atlanta to Memphis to visit his children and friends and planned on to drive back to Atlanta on the very same day he mysteriously vanished. The police are currently looking into a hang-up call made from Lorenzen’s phone on July 19th. The report also states that he was carrying a lot of cash which has not been recovered.
Penny Hardaway Wright’s long term friend and former NBA star said he went to the scene as soon as he was told about Wright’s death and Penny exclaimed that he could not stop crying because not only did he lost a brother but a good person as well.
Wendy Wilson, Wright’s personal assistant was also at the scene and said that Wright often used the shortcuts to go to his mother’s house. He did not deserve to die this way as he was a good person.
Michael Heisley, owner of the Memphis Grizzlies issued a statement on Wednesday night which stated, "We are deeply saddened by the tragic death of Lorenzen Wright. We lost a member of the Grizzlies family. Lorenzen delighted fans on the court with his passion and off the court with his generosity in a Memphis community that watched him grow throughout his playing career."
Lorenzen Wright played for the University of Memphis before but dropped out to play professional basketball. Wright was drafted in the 1996 NBA draft season and was selected by the Los Angeles Clippers as the 7th pick overall. He stood at 6feet 11 inches and played as the Power forward.
He served the NBA for 13 years and played for five different teams including the Los Angeles Clippers, Atlanta Hawks, Memphis Grizzlies, Sacramento Kings and the Cleveland Cavaliers. Wright has made four playoff appearances with a career average of 7.7 points per game with 5.3 rebounds and 1.1 assists per game.
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