Kara Braxton obit

Kara Braxton, former WNBA and Oregon prep basketball star, dead at age 43

 

She was not on the list.

Kara Braxton, a two-time WNBA champion with the Detroit Shock, has died at age 43.

No cause of death was given.

"It is with profound sadness that we mourn the passing of 2x WNBA Champion Kara Braxton," the WNBA said in a statement Sunday. "Our thoughts are with her family, friends, and former teammates at this time."

Braxton, a 6-foot-6 center-forward, played at Georgia from 2001 to 2004 and was named SEC Freshman of the Year in 2002.

She was selected No. 7 by the Shock in the 2005 WNBA draft and made the league's all-rookie team that season. Braxton won WNBA titles with Detroit in 2006 and 2008.

Braxton spent part of the 2010 season in Tulsa, where the Shock franchise relocated, and then was traded to the Phoenix Mercury.

During the 2011 season, she was traded to the New York Liberty and finished her WNBA career with New York in 2014.

Braxton, who was named an All-Star in 2007, averaged 7.6 points and 4.7 rebounds during a 10-year WNBA career.

Braxton's son, college football player Jelani Thurman, played tight end the past three years at Ohio State. He transferred to North Carolina in January.

Braxton was killed in a car accident over the weekend in Atlanta, according to several reports. But no official cause of death has been released. The WNBA confirmed her death through social media on Sunday.

Braxton is considered one of the best high school basketball players in Oregon history. The Oregonian/OregonLive ranked Braxton No. 7 on its list of the top 25 girls prep players published in 2017.

Kara and her twin sister Kim, who also played basketball, moved from Jackson, Michigan, to Oregon in 1997.

Kara Braxton was named Class 4A player of the year following her sophomore and junior seasons.

As a sophomore, Braxton averaged 18.8 points and 9.7 rebounds during the regular season and upped her production to 22 points and 9.5 rebounds in the state tournament.

The following season, she averaged 17.8 points, 10 rebounds and four blocks. That season, the twins led the Wildcats to the 4A championship.

Several recruiting services ranked Kara Braxton the No. 2 recruit nationally heading into her senior season.

The twins signed with Georgia, where Kara played for three seasons, averaging 15.4 points and 7.3 rebounds.

Braxton was named SEC freshman of the year after averaging 16.3 points per game during the 2001-02 season.

In 2005, Braxton entered the WNBA draft and was selected No. 7 overall by Detroit. She played eight seasons with the Shock, Phoenix Mercury and New York Liberty, averaging 7.6 points and 4.6 rebounds.

During her time in the WNBA, Braxton was named an All-Star in 2007 and won championships with the Shock in 2006 and 2008.

During the 2008 playoffs, Braxton averaged 8.6 points and 5.3 rebounds per game.

Career information

High school     Westview (Beaverton, Oregon)

College            Georgia (2002–2005)

WNBA draft    2005: 1st round, 7th overall pick

Drafted by       Detroit Shock

Playing career 2005–2014

Position           Power forward / center

Career history

2005–2008      Detroit Shock

2010    Tulsa Shock

2010–2011      Phoenix Mercury

2011–2014      New York Liberty

Career highlights

WNBA All-Star (2007)

2× WNBA champion (2006, 2008)

WNBA All-Rookie Team (2005)

First-team All-SEC (2002)

SEC Freshman of the Year (2002)

SEC All-Freshman Team (2002)