The Clemson family has one of its members that needs help in a bad way. Those that are old enough to remember the Cliff Ellis basketball teams from back in the early nineties will definitely know who this person is. The Clemson brother in need is Tiger great, Sharone Wright.
Wright has faced so much adversity in his life. After his time at Clemson, where he led the ACC in blocked shots in 1992, 1993, and then finished 3rd in 1994, he became the first Tiger player to declare early for the NBA Draft. He ended up being selected sixth overall in the first round of the 1994 NBA draft by the Philadelphia 76ers.
Wright eventually ended up playing five seasons in the NBA with Philadelphia and Toronto and was named to the 1994-95 NBA All Rookie team. His NBA career would be cut short due to a severe auto accident early in his fifth season.
The accident happened when his car skidded off the road on a rain drenched morning. He was on his way to speak at a basketball camp for the Boys and Girls Club in his hometown of Macon, Georgia. He suffered multiple broken bones in the wreck.
The recovery period was long and he played only seven more games in the NBA. He went on to play professionally in Europe for almost a decade, but it was not the NBA. After his playing career concluded he went into coaching.
Later on, while Wright was living in Florence, SC, he faced a bout with cancer. This was a fight that came very close to taking his life, and few knew the serious nature of his battle. Once again, he showed the tenacity fans became used to seeing from him on the court, as he won that fight, and continued to go after his coaching career at a prep school in Arizona.
Wright’s health struggles weren’t over yet though. Over the last year, he contracted MRSA in both of his legs, which led to his left leg having to be amputated earlier this year. He has been recuperating and adjusting to the prosthesis that he now has.
Something else that many did not know was that Wright was a diabetic, even when he was playing at Clemson. A disease that does not discriminate and doesn’t care whether it affects a star athlete or a fan of that star athlete.
Well, with all of the medical issues and expenses, Wright is in need of help from his Tiger family more now than ever and thanks to former teammate and friend, Wayne Buckingham, along with W.A.B. Sports there will be a Celebrity Golf Tournament on August 17 to try and help out with the expenses.
“I am thankful that I can help out one of my brothers when in need and I want to put a challenge out there,” Buckingham told clemsonjunkies.com. “I challenge everyone in the Clemson family to go donate at least one dollar to the GoFundMe page that I’ve set up. That would be a huge help and would show one of the Tiger greats that the fans that he entertained while he was a Tiger haven’t forgotten him.”
Some names expected to attend are basketball greats Horace Grant, Tree Rollins, Dale Davis, Elden Campbell, and Chris Whitney. There are supposed to be a lot of Wright’s former teammates coming back, along with former coach Cliff Ellis. Terrell McIntyre, Jordan Roper, Terrence Oglesby, Jerry Pryor, Trevor Booker, Bobby Conrad, Ricky Jones, and Greg Buckner are all also expected to be in attendance.
On top of the former hoops players, there are some other well known Clemson greats scheduled to come, including legendary former football head coach Danny Ford. Former fotball players Donnell Woolford, Levon Kirkland, C.J. Spiller, Homer Jordan, James Trapp, and Patrick Sapp will be on hand. Even some former lady Tigers basketball greats, including former head coach Jim Davis, as well as Karen Ann Jenkins, and Louise Greenwood.
All together there will be about 30 legends from Clemson coming back to help out. It is scheduled to be played at the Walker Course on the Clemson University campus August 17, with a 10am shotgun start.
For more information or to reserve a team go to click here.
