Friends and family from across the city gathered in Roxbury last Saturday to memorialize Terrence Clarke, the basketball phenom and Dorchester native who died in 2021 at age 19 in a car accident in Los Angeles, where he was working out in preparation for that year’s NBA draft.

Hundreds convened at the Vine Street Community Center on Dudley Street, which Clarke frequented, to hand out turkeys, shoot hoops, and celebrate the legacy of a young man lost too soon.

The gym inside the center was dedicated to Clarke shortly after his death.

His mother, Osmine Clarke, called the Thanksgiving “Gift Back” event “amazing,” saying, “I really appreciate everyone coming out and creating a legacy for Terrence. He wanted to do things like this. He would always say to me that when he came back, he wanted to give back and come here and get these kids and take them places. This is what he wanted.”

Clarke’s father, Adrian Briggs, watched as teens played pick-up games at the event. This how he prefers to remember his son, he said.

“There are a lot of touching moments here today,” he said. “If he were here, this is what he’d be doing. It’s a good way to carry on his legacy. This is how I remember him – playing basketball right here. I always tell people before he was ‘TC,’ he was my son.”

Clarke, who was widely believed to be a top pick in the’21 draft, was a popular young man around Dorchester, attending middle school at the Helen Davis Leadership Academy in Fields Corner, honing his hoops skills at the Dorchester House gym and, later, in high school at the Rivers School. After he transferred to Brewster Academy, he became a national name and eventually committed to play for the University of Kentucky as one of the top recruits in the country. After a season marred by injuries, he decided to turn pro and enter the draft.

Those close to him said that even as his star rose, he never neglected his hometown.

“Terrence played here at Vine Street a lot and they re-dedicated the court to him also,” said Russ Martin, who organized the first-ever “Gift Back” event. “We wanted to make sure we gave back to the community in his name like he always wanted to do. He would be doing this right now if he was still here.”

The event featured representatives from the Boston Celtics, a live Zoom call from Kentucky Head Coach John Calipari, and several raffle items as well. More than 300 turkeys, with all the fixin’s, were given out. Martin said they plan to build on the success of Saturday’s event next year.

State Rep. Chris Worrell and City Councillor Brian Worrell arrived with hundreds of turkeys to give away at the Terrence Clarke “Gift Back.” The Worrells distributed nearly 2,000 turkeys across the neighborhood leading up to Thanksgiving – including at this event.

Michael Quashie, Dan Occena, Max Occena, Lisa Searcy of Councillor Erin Murphy’s Office, Soeurette Badio, Adrian Briggs (Clarke’s father), and Kesnel Menard.

From the Beantown Slam basketball club, Tito Alicea and Octavius Nunes.

Lisa Searcy of Councillor Erin Murphy’s Office, Osmine Clarke (Terrence’s mother), and Pastor Kim Odom.

Event organizer Russ Martin with state Sen. Liz Miranda.