Family, friends mourn teen basketball star killed in crash on Long Island

Saturday, January 30, 2021

Naveen Dhaliwal has more on the touching vigil for a teen basketball star killed in a crash on Long Island.

UNIONDALE, Long Island (WABC) -- At just 15 years old, Jomani 'Jo-Jo' Wright is being called an inspiration and a legend by those who knew him well.

Wright had aspirations to get to the NBA, but instead of seeing him on the court, on Friday, his family and friends gathered to remember him just two days after he died in a fatal crash. Mourners shined the light for their hometown superstar.

Fifteen-year-old Jomani "Jo-Jo" Wright, a sophomore at Uniondale High School and one of Long Island's most promising high school basketball stars, was killed in a car crash Wednesday.

Okheif Tyrell wore a sweatshirt for his best friend.

"He was a little brother to me - I knew him since he was 10," said Tyrell.

Tyrell and more than a hundred others gathered at the same spot Wright lost his life in a car accident on Wednesday afternoon - hugging, crying, and praying.

As the memorial on Front Street grew, so did the crowd that night, remembering Jo-Jo the basketball player, and his dreams to be part of the NBA. The Brooklyn Nets were his favorite team.

His heartbroken father and two brothers choked back tears as they talked about their sweet Jo-Jo.

Jo-Jo started playing on the varsity team at Uniondale High School in the 8th grade.

There were other teens in the car with Jo-Jo on Wednesday - they are all ok. So is the elderly driver of the other car.

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