A BASKETBALL star has died aged just 26 in a tragic accident.
Mubarak Salami played for German third-tier club Dragons Rhondorf.
And the club released a heartbreaking statement following his sudden and sad passing on Friday evening.
It is understood Salami was driving his Hyundai car on the A7 autobahn towards Hamburg when he crashed into a van on the hard shoulder.
That caused his vehicle to be sent veering into the oncoming lane of traffic where it collided with another car.
Both cars burnt out immediately – although the driver of the other car was able to escape with serious injuries and taken to hospital.
READ MORE ON BASKETBALL
Basketball ace Aydogan killed in earthquake after ‘going to visit grandmother’
Paralympic hero and wheelchair basketball star Natalie Curtis dies aged 34
Salami, though, could not be rescued and lost his life.
Dragons Rhondorf said: "Things are happening that are incomprehensible and can hardly be put into words.
"At just 26 years old, shooting guard Mubarak Salami died in a tragic car accident.
"The Dragons Rhondorf stand in silent mourning at the side of the relatives of Mubarak Salami and will always carry the memory of the people and basketball player Mubarak Salami in their hearts."
Most read in Other Sports
Ex World’s Strongest Man Eddie Hall necks 20,000 calories in 24 hours
Snooker star & BBC pundit Murphy apologises to TV host Douglas with gift
I'm a snooker legend who once played in goal at Wembley, now I'm back with Blur
Murphy labelled 'rude and arrogant' in angry TV rant after Selby win
Salami had only joined the club at the beginning of the year after making a name for himself with Eimsbuttelter and led Hamburg to the third-division title.
He even turned down offers from Germany's top-tier Bundesliga to help take care of his six siblings – to whom he was a father figure.
Fellow German basketball clubs and fans took to Twitter to share their condolences.
And the Dragons added: "In a sports world in which numbers and statistics are mostly in the foreground, the person Mubarak Salami should be remembered above all.
"A person who has put his own sporting and personal ambitions on the back burner for the well-being of his family in recent years and has remained in his hometown of Hamburg as a family anchor and fixed point for his younger siblings.
"The basketball world also loses a cosmopolitan and inquisitive young man who, with his friendly and humorous manner, found his place in the Dragons family within a few weeks on Menzenberg.”
Salami's death comes just two weeks after Australian Paralympic wheelchair basketball star Natalie Curtis died aged 34.
And also in February, 30-year-old Turkish player Nilay Aydogan was found dead following the devastating earthquake.
Source: Read Full Article
