Former Kentucky guard Terrence Clarke dies in car crash

Former Kentucky guard Terrence Clarke died Thursday in a car crash in California, his agent, Rich Paul, confirmed.

He was 19 years old.

"We are saddened and devastated by the tragic loss of Terrence Clarke. He was an incredible, hard-working young man. He was excited for what was ahead of him and ready to fulfill his dreams," Paul said in a statement to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.

He added: "Our prayers go out to Terrence and his family, who ask for privacy during this difficult time."

Clarke declared for the NBA draft on March 19, forgoing the rest of his college eligibility. He signed with Klutch Sports on Wednesday.

"I am absolutely gutted and sick tonight," Kentucky head coach John Calipari said in a statement. "A young person who we all love has just lost his life too soon, one with all of his dreams and hopes ahead of him. Terrence Clarke was a beautiful kid, someone who owned the room with his personality, smile, and joy.

"People gravitated to him, and to hear we have lost him is just hard for all of us to comprehend right now. We are all in shock. Terrence's teammates and brothers loved him and are absolutely devastated. They know we are here for them for whatever they need. I am on my way to Los Angeles to be with his mother and his brother to help wherever I can."

Calipari added: "This will be a difficult period for all those who know and love Terrence, and I would ask that everyone take a moment tonight to say a prayer for Terrence and his family. May he rest in peace."

A consensus five-star recruit, Clarke played eight games this past season as a freshman at Kentucky. The Boston native received interest from multiple top schools coming out of high school before eventually committing to the Wildcats.