Among the title contenders, however, the Clippers received terrible news recently. The Angelinos have thus lost one of theirs… Upset, Nicolas Batum notably reacted to the tragedy on social networks.
And Kawhi Leonard is out for a few more months, the Clippers still expected to accomplish great things in 2021-22, and possibly even reach the NBA Finals after the last two failed attempts. Unfortunately for them, they now have to mourn a member of their organization chart. As revealed by his sister, Assane Drame is indeed deceased recently:
I wanted to personally thank everyone who helped me find my brother’s whereabouts information. I tried to reach as many people as possible personally. I’m sorry if this is how you found out, but unfortunately Assane died in a car accident.
If the name doesn’t ring a bell, know that Assane Drame was a video assistant at Les Voiliers. Barely 26 years old, he started out as an intern in the City of Angels, before establishing himself as an important member of his department. He had recently attended the work of the future Clipp’s stadium in Inglewood:
So it’s a terrible loss for the franchise, which receives a huge blow to the head as training camps have only just started. Nevertheless, she insisted on paying a proper tribute to her late employee. Through a press release relayed among others by ESPN, Drama was thanked for its exemplary work, also praising his human qualities:
The Clippers’ organization mourns the loss of Assane Drame, a dedicated employee, talented videographer and loyal friend. He was a hard worker and a gentle soul, passionate about his craft and kind to his colleagues, earning the respect and admiration of players, coaches and staff.
Obviously, it was not only the leaders who were in shock at the news, but also the players. If they did not all rub shoulders, the death of Drame was also a tragedy for the men of Doc Rivers. Some of them, including Nicolas Batum, therefore wanted to commemorate him on Twitter with nice words:
Just heard the sad news. Rest In Peace King ???????????? pic.twitter.com/Bwcab1NKdO
– Nicolas Batum (@ nicolas88batum) September 30, 2021
I just heard the sad news. Rest in peace, champion.
???????????????????????? Heard nothing but great things about Assane. ???????????????? Send Prayers up https://t.co/QLbZanlYkH
— Terance Mann (@terance_mann) September 30, 2021
I have only heard good things about Assane. Send him your prayers ????????????????
A terrible story, just a few weeks before the start of the regular season … Hopefully the Clippers and the family of Assane Drame will recover from this atrocious blow. Rest in peace.
