SACRAMENTO -- While the Sacramento Kings were preparing for Friday night’s game against the Brooklyn Nets, a tragic event was taking place just miles away from Sleep Train Arena.
Grant High School, a local Sacramento football powerhouse, was just hours away from a big night of its own. The Pacers were scheduled to take on Beyer High School in the first round of the Sac-Joaquin section playoffs. The visiting team was halfway through their 80 mile bus ride when they were told to turn back, the game had been postponed.
Jaulon Clavo, a 17-year-old senior and starting cornerback on the Pacers varsity squad, went to a local fast food restaurant for a pregame meal with four other players. After finishing their food, the group loaded into a car driven by Clavo and were on their way back to campus when someone fired shots into the vehicle, according to multiple reports.
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Clavo was struck in the neck and his front seat passenger, Malik Johnson, was hit in the arm. The carload of boys raced to campus to get help. Johnson would survive the random act of violence, but sadly, Clavo succumbed to his injuries at a local Sacramento hospital on Friday evening.
Sacramento Kings center Demarcus Cousins is a regular at local Sacramento area high school sporting events, including Grant football games. Cousins learned of the tragic events and CSNCalifornia has confirmed that he has offered to pay for the funeral expenses of Clavo.
A week earlier, Clavo was taking SAT exams in preparation for college next year. And now his family is left wondering why someone would commit such a heinous act.
Cousins, an Alabama native, has made Sacramento his home for much of the year. The longest tenured King, Cousins is one of the few highly visible Kings players in the community. While he never looks for media attention off the court, he is one of the most charitable players the Kings have had on their roster.