Missing Lorenzen Wright found dead in Memphis forest

A professional basketball player, Wright played all levels of basketball in Memphis – high school, collegiate, and professional. He played 13 years in the N.B.A. with the Los Angeles Clippers, the Atlanta Hawks, the Memphis Grizzlies, the Kings, and most recently the Cavaliers in season 2008-9.

Wright had been missing for the last ten days. The 6ft 11in basketball player was last seen alive on 18 July, when he was expected to travel out of town, and was reported missing by his family on 22 July, according to New York Times.

Sad end of basketball star
Wright’s uncle, Curtis Wright, said Wednesday that police have told the family the athlete has been found dead.

Wright told the Associated Press that the player’s father, Herb Wright, had been notified by the police yesterday afternoon.

According to several published reports, including The Associated Press, the body of missing Memphis basketball star was found in a wooded area in southeast Memphis.

According to several published reports, including The Associated Press, the body of missing Memphis basketball star was found in a wooded area in southeast Memphis.

Reports vary on identity of the deceased
The identity of the body found by police in the wooded area is still somewhat muddled.

While a Memphis police spokeswoman confirmed to the AP via an e-mail that police were investigating the death of an unidentified man, she could not confirm the victim's identity last night.

On the other hand, a report by the Memphis Commercial Appeal cited an unnamed police source as having identified the body found in a field in southeast Memphis as Wright's.

911 call was received from Wright's cell phone
According to the Memphis Commercial Appeal, a 911 call was made from Wright's cell phone in the early hours of July 19. A Germantown dispatcher could hear a garbled male voice utter an expletive followed by loud blasts of several gunshots.

As per the publication, the police dispatcher asked: "Hello? Hello? Can you hear me?" but the cellphone went dead at that point. The dispatcher called back, but no one answered.

Mourning family
Meanwhile, relatives and friends of Wright gathered Wednesday at the scene where his body was found and grieved for the NBA star.

According to the Commercial Appeal, the Wright family issued a statement through a cousin of Lorenzen Wright, Camella Logan, confirming the demise of their beloved Lorenzen.

"Lorenzen's family has come together to mourn his loss and honor his legacy," the statement said. "We appreciate your thoughts, prayers and condolences as they are comforting at this very difficult time. Additionally, we ask that you please respect our privacy as we try to cope with his sudden loss."

Friends remember Wright
Wright, known to friends as "Ren," is remembered dearly by his fans, friends, and associates.

Calling Wright’s death tragic, former NBA superstar Penny Hardaway, who used to play with Wright on the Grizzlies, told AJC.com that "I cried. The emotions hit me immediately. It's just sad because we lost a good person and a brother."

Wendy Wilson, who once worked as Wright's personal assistant, said: "He was a good person. He did not deserve to die this way. God is not pleased with this."

According to AJC, Memphis Grizzlies majority owner Michael Heisley issued a statement late Wednesday saying: "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 ..."

ESPN cited Nashville-based sports agent Brian Parker as saying that Wright loved his family and loved the city of Memphis.

“I will always remember the great times we shared together,” Parker said. “Lorenzen was a great ambassador for the city of Memphis and he touched a lot of lives. My thoughts and prayers are with his family, especially his beautiful children.”

A dedicated father, Wright leaves behind two daughters and four sons, ages 4 to 15.