Kara Braxton, a former WNBA All-Star who played 10 years in the league, has died, the league announced on social media. The cause of death has not been specified. She was 43 years old.
“It is with deep sadness that we mourn the passing of two-time WNBA champion Kara Braxton. A 10-year veteran, Kara played with the Detroit Shock, Tulsa Shock, Phoenix Mercury and New York Liberty. Our thoughts are with her family, friends and former teammates at this time,” the WNBA shared on X.
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Braxton was drafted No. 7 overall in the 2005 WNBA Draft by the Detroit Shock. She was named to the WNBA All-Rookie team after averaging 6.9 points and 3.0 rebounds. A 6-foot-6 power forward, she won championships in 2006 and 2008 with Detroit.
She played in Tulsa, when the Shock moved, and also spent time with the Phoenix Mercury and New York Liberty. Braxton also played overseas in Poland, Turkey, China and Italy during the 2017-18 season.
Born in Jackson, Michigan, on February 18, 1983, Braxton attended high school there during her junior year before transferring to Westview High School in Portland, Oregon. She was named Oregon Gatorade Player of the Year as a senior. She played college basketball at Georgia for two and a half seasons before being dismissed from the team by then-coach Andy Landers for undisclosed reasons.
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Braxton worked for Nike in Oregon after retiring from professional basketball before moving to the Atlanta area. His son, Jelani Thurman, was on Ohio State’s 2024 national championship football team. He played tight end.
Braxton is survived by her husband, Jarvis Jackson, and two sons, Thurman and Jream Jackson.
This article was originally published on USA TODAY: Former WNBA All-Star Kara Braxton Dies at 43, League Announces
