Memphis basketball star, former LSU player hit, killed by car

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Danielle Ballard, a former basketball player at Louisiana State University, died after being hit by a car Thursday, Memphis Police and LSU confirm.

According to MPD, a little before 1:30 a.m., officers responded to a pedestrian hit at Coleman Road and Raleigh-Lagrange Road.

The 29-year-old victim was taken to Regional One Health, where she was pronounced dead. The driver stayed on the scene.

Ballard played basketball at Central High School in Memphis and graduated in 2012. According to ESPN, she was the 25th overall rank and the 7th position rank.

Latieshica Douglas says she and a friend had just left Blue Ice, a nearby lounge when they noticed, Ballard walking in the middle of the street in distress.

“So we holler out the window like ‘Baby, you got to get out the street. You’re in the street,’ and she just kept hollering ‘I can’t see, I can’t see,’” Douglas said.

Douglas says Ballard told them she had been pepper sprayed by security at the lounge, but as they went to help it was too late.

“By the time we reached for the door handles, the car was coming at like 70 mph and ran her over like she was a speed bump,” Douglas said.

Rachal Nolen, Ballard’s older cousin, says the former Central High School basketball star and Louisiana State University Tiger went on to become an author and work with youth after she left the court.

“She just was a baller, and she loved playing basketball, and I looked up to her even though I’m older than her because she was consistent in what she wanted to do with her life,” Nolen said.

Nolen says years ago Ballard was diagnosed with bipolar disorder. While the family searches for answers as to what happened, she’s hoping Ballard’s death encourages people to be kind to those battling mental illness.

“Our world doesn’t give enough intimate thought to mental illness,” Nolen said. “She just wanted to get home. She just wanted to get home.”