BIRMINGHAM, AL. (THECOUNT) — Nigel Jamar Ramsey, 35, a former Alabama high school basketball standout who went on to become a college player and coach, was killed Tuesday afternoon in a crash involving a three-wheel motorcycle at a Birmingham intersection.
The crash occurred at approximately 3:26 p.m. Tuesday at Crestwood Boulevard and Frederick Street, according to authorities. Ramsey was operating a three-wheel motorcycle when it was involved in a collision with another vehicle. He was transported to UAB Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at approximately 4:01 p.m.
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Birmingham is Alabama’s largest city and the seat of Jefferson County, located in the central part of the state. The crash occurred in the Crestwood neighborhood, east of downtown Birmingham.
Ramsey was widely known in Alabama basketball circles, first gaining recognition as a player at Gardendale High School. During his senior season, he was named North Jefferson County Player of the Year while playing for longtime coach Mark Cornelius.
Cornelius remembered Ramsey as a quiet and mature young man who stood out both on and off the basketball court.
“He was just a good soul,” Cornelius said. “He was a very unique young man, mature and quiet.”
After graduating from Gardendale, Ramsey continued his basketball career at Shelton State Community College before transferring to Ouachita Baptist University. During his college career, he earned Honorable Mention All-Great American Conference honors as a junior and was selected to the GAC All-Tournament team twice.
Ramsey eventually transitioned from playing to coaching, allowing him to remain involved in the sport while working directly with young athletes. His coaching career included stops at Scottsdale Community College and the University of Detroit Mercy, where he served as a graduate assistant.
He later became a head coach at Fultondale High School and subsequently coached at Tarrant High School, continuing to build a reputation for developing and mentoring young basketball players.
“He was just a good kid that loved basketball and wanted to teach kids,” Cornelius said. “He found his niche with coaching so he could still be around the sport and have some influence on the kids.”
At the time of his death, Ramsey was an assistant coach at Prolific Prep, an elite high school basketball program based in Florida that has developed numerous high-level prospects for college basketball and the NBA. Ramsey was preparing to begin his second season with the program.
The news of Ramsey’s death sent shockwaves through the Prolific Prep community, according to head coach Ryan Bernardi.
“We are gutted and devastated by the news,” Bernardi said. “It sent a shockwave through our whole program because Nigel was such a positive, glowing light of a person.”
Bernardi said Ramsey’s influence extended well beyond the basketball court, affecting student-athletes, families and staff members associated with the program.
“He impacted so many people here in south Florida and in our program,” Bernardi said. “He impacted all of the student athletes and staff and parents in our program.”
“We are shocked,” Bernardi added. “Our community is devastated.”
Details regarding the circumstances of the collision, including the identity of the other driver and whether any additional injuries were reported, were not provided in the information available. The crash remains under investigation.
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