A car struck and killed former basketball star Danielle Ballard early Thursday morning, police said.
“At approximately 1:26 a.m., officers responded to a pedestrian hit at Coleman Rd & Raleigh Lagrange Rd,” the Memphis Police Department (MPD) wrote on Twitter.
A 29-year-old victim, later identified as Danielle Ballard, was later “pronounced deceased” while the driver allegedly involved “stayed on the scene,” the MPD continued.
Ballard led an illustrious basketball career, sending her Central High School team to a 2011 state championship before matriculating to Louisiana State University (LSU), according to ABC 24.
Danielle Ballard led Central High School to a state championship in 2011, scoring 21 points and 10 rebounds in the final game. A four-star recruit out of high school, she went on to start three years for LSU, putting together a stellar college career https://t.co/VlHEq0v0N7
— ABC24 Memphis (@ABC24Memphis) July 13, 2023
Ballard played three seasons at LSU, averaging 12.1 points a game, according to FOX 13 Memphis.
Named to the 2013 SEC All-Freshman Team and hailed as the 2014-2015 LSU MVP, Ballard accumulated honors across her college basketball career, the outlet reported.
Ballard concluded her LSU career with a total 500 career rebounds, being just 23 points away from 1,000 career points, FOX 13 Memphis reported. (RELATED: Conor McGregor Gets Hit By Car At Full Speed)
An investigation into the incident remains ongoing, according to the MPD.