Lorenzen Wright
Wright, who was a first round pick of the Clippers, was found shot to death
By Jason Lewis
Sentinel Sports Editor
Former NBA player Lorenzen Wright, who was drafted seventh overall by the Clippers in the 1996 draft, was found shot to death in the woods outside of Memphis, Tenn.
Wright’s body was found near an apartment complex on July 29, but he had been missing since around midnight on July 18. His family filed a missing person report with the police on July 22.
Wright was at his ex-wife’s house the night he disappeared. She said that he left with an unidentified man, and investigators believe that he had a large amount of cash on him at the time.
A 911 call was placed from Wright’s cell phone shortly after he left his ex-wife’s residence. On the call a male’s voice could be heard, and then as many as a dozen gunshots went on.
Police dispatchers claim that they could not confirm whether or not the call had come from within their suburban Memphis jurisdiction, so a call to patrol officers was not made.
Wright’s family is extremely upset that more was not done when the 911 call was made.
Wright’s ex-wife said that six weeks earlier three armed gunmen came to her house looking for Wright, and that they threatened to kill her and the six children that she had with Wright if she reported that they came to her house. She said that she informed Wright, but they did not go to the authorities over the matter.
Wright was raised near Oxford, Miss, and he attended the University of Memphis before moving on to the NBA. As a professional, he played 14 seasons for the Clippers, Atlanta Hawks, Memphis Grizzly, Sacramento Kings, and Cleveland Cavaliers.
Wright’s final season was in 2009 when he played for the Cavs.
Wright founded the Sierra Wright Scholarship Fund after the death of his infant daughter in March of 2003.
Wright was initiated into Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc., in the spring of 1996.
