Former LSU Basketball Star Danielle Ballard Dead At 29

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NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament - Second Round - Baton Rouge
BATON ROUGE, LA - MARCH 26: Danielle Ballard #32 of the LSU Tigers celebrates a victory over the Penn State Lady Lions following the second round of the NCAA Tournament at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center on March 26, 2013 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. LSU won the game 71-66. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)
Ballard was struck and killed by a car in the Raleigh neighborhood of Memphis.

Danielle Ballard, once a star player for the LSU Tigers women's basketball team, has died at the age of 29. Ballard, who played for the Tigers between 2012 and 2015, was struck by a car in Memphis, Tennessee and later died in hospital.

Ballard was the #25 recruit in the Class of 2012, choosing the Tigers over Auburn, Duke, Ole Miss, Rutgers, and UCLA. In her freshman year, she was the Tigers' third-best scorer at 12.3 points per game. Going 22-12, the Tigers reached the Sweet 16 of March Madness, their best result since a Final Four appearance in 2008. The following season, Ballard was once again the team's #3 scorer, with 10.7 points per game. Despite losing seven of eight to end the regular season, the Tigers pulled off another Sweet 16 run come March. With the departure of Theresa Plaisance and Jeanne Kenney, Ballard became the team leader in 2014-15. This was despite missing the first 14 games of the season for unspecified reasons. While Ballard led the team in scoring, the Tigers crashed out in the first round of March Madness.

Fans Mourn Ballard

BATON ROUGE, LA - MARCH 26: Dara Taylor #2 of the Penn State Lady Lions guards Danielle Ballard #32 of the LSU Tigers during the second round of the NCAA Tournament at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center on March 26, 2013 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. LSU won the game 71-66. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)

Ballard was just 23 points away from cracking 1000 entering her senior year. However, it was abruptly announced in the 11th paragraph of a 14-paragraph offseason training report that Ballard had left the team. No reason was ever given for the sudden departure. LSU went 10-21 in what would have been Ballard's senior year. Furthermore, they did not see the success they had with ballard on the team until the 2023 Championship run. Details are scarce about what Ballard did after leaving LSU.

Fans on Twitter have also mourned her death. "Sad to hear about the passing of Danielle Ballard. What a dynamic guard she was. Played a huge role in Central’s 2011 state-title winner, scoring 21 points and grabbing 10 boards in the final against Riverdale. Then had a good career at LSU too. Only 29. Prayers to her family," wrote one individual. Rest in peace, Danielle.

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About The Author
Ben Mock
Benjamin Mock (they/them) is a sports and culture writer working out of Philadelphia. Previously writing for the likes of Fixture, Dexerto, Fragster, and Jaxon, Ben has dedicated themselves to engaging and accessible articles about sports, esports, and internet culture. With a love for the weirder stories, you never quite know what to expect from their work.
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