Memphis native, former Charlotte 49ers basketball standout Galen Young dies at 45

Galen Young, a Memphis native who went on to star at Charlotte before a lengthy professional basketball career, died Saturday.

Young, 45, was visiting his mother when, according a tweet from the Memphis Police Department, a car crashed into the house on Horn Lake Road at 2:42 a.m. Saturday. Young was found inside and pronounced dead. 

The driver of the vehicle was issued a citation and the investigation is ongoing. The police department's tweet identified Young as Leslie, which was his first name.

Young spent last season as an assistant coach at Rockhurst University after serving as an assistant coach at Lane College from 2016-20.

He graduated from Hillcrest High School and played two seasons at Northwest Mississippi Community College. He transferred to Charlotte in 1997 and in 1999, he helped the 49ers with the Conference USA tournament and was named the tournament's Most Valuable Player.

After the 49ers reached the second round of the NCAA Tournament, Young was drafted 48th overall by the Milwaukee Bucks. He didn't play in the NBA but he spent 13 years playing in several professional leagues.

In 2007, Young was named CBA Player of the Year and helped the Yakima Sun Kings win the CBA championship.

Tributes to Young appeared on social media as news became public. Memphis coach Penny Hardaway shared on Instagram how he and Young had seen each just last month.

"Wow bro, you were just in my office 2 weeks ago talking basketball. The words on your tee shirt are so true," Hardaway wrote. "You were Born to Compete. You brought it every time you laced up. Rest well Galen #Godgotyounow."

The Charlotte men's basketball Twitter account posted a tweet extending condolences to Young and his family.

"The 49ers Basketball family mourns the loss of former standout Galen Young. Young played for the 49ers from 1997-99 and was 1999 C-USA Tournament MVP. Our thoughts and prayers are with Galen's family at this difficult time. Rest In Peace, Galen,"

Want to stay informed on the latest Memphis sports news? A Commercial Appeal subscription gets you unlimited access to the best inside information and updates on local sports, and the ability to tap into sports news from throughout the USA TODAY Network's 109 local sites.

You can reach Evan Barnes on Twitter (@Evan_B) or by email at evan.barnes@commercialappeal.com