A Detroit native, he started at Miller High School and Wayne State University; Wright is renowned for his noteworthy track and field accomplishments.

Lorenzo C. Wright's crowning athletic achievement would come as a member of the gold medal winning 4×100 meter relay team at the 1948 Olympic Games.

At Miller High, Wright was a two-time Detroit Public Secondary Schools Athletic League champion in the long jump.

Wright's indoor and outdoor long jump marks, along with his performances in the 100-meter and 220-yard dash, are still Wayne State University varsity records – having stood the test of time for nearly seventy years.

One of Detroit's major interscholastic athletic facilities, adjacent to Martin Luther King High School, is named Lorenzo C. Wright Field.