Jaylen Brown dedicates dunk to Terrence Clarke

Jaylen Brown advanced to the final round of the NBA Slam Dunk contest after some questionable marks from the celebrity judges, but Big Blue Nation might forgive him for knocking out Jacob Toppin after what he did with his next dunk.

In his first attempt of the final round, Brown swapped out his jersey for that of Brewster Academy legend and former Kentucky guard, the late, great Terrence Clarke. To add extra oomph to the cause, the floor was even illuminated with a picture of Clarke and “2001-2021” below his headshot.

A tribute to Terrence Clarke 💚 pic.twitter.com/6ddkLbcYyA

— Boston Celtics (@celtics) February 18, 2024

Terrence Clarke passed away in an automobile accident following a workout with Kentucky teammate Brandon Boston Jr. in Los Angeles, California shortly after the end of the 2021 college basketball season. A Boston native, Clarke was well known amongst the NBA community and was certain to be a first-round draft pick that season.

Between the 14th and 15th picks in the 2021 NBA Draft, Commissioner Adam Silver made Clarke a ceremonial pick, with his family accepting the honor on his behalf.

As a Wildcat, injuries stopped Clarke from fulfilling his full potential. He averaged 9.6 points in just eight games played.

Shout out to Jaylen Brown for commemorating a life lost too soon. His dunk, like many of his on the night, was…fine, but the tribute to a former Wildcat and Boston High School legend will be what everyone talks about for years to come.

RIP Terrence Clarke.