Kara Braxton, a former WNBA All-Star who played 10 years in the league, died in a car accident in Cobb County, Georgia, on Saturday.
Cobb County Police confirmed in a statement obtained by USA Today Sports that Braxton died in a single car crash outside of Atlanta around 5:13 p.m. Saturday. The accident remains under investigation.
A preliminary report says Braxton was driving a blue 2023 Ford Mustang Mach E northbound on I-285 and was approaching Cobb Parkway when she “failed to maintain her lane” and “collided with the concrete median wall,” riding against it until the car came to a rest on the left shoulder.
Braxton, 43, was transported to Wellstar Kennestone Hospital in Marietta, Georgia, where she was pronounced dead. She was a resident of College Park, Georgia.
The WNBA announced Braxton had died on social media on Sunday, Feb. 22.
‘It is with profound sadness that we mourn the passing of 2x WNBA Champion Kara Braxton. A 10-season 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.
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 would go on to win championships in 2006 and ’08 with Detroit.
She played in Tulsa, when the Shock relocated, and also spent time with the Phoenix Mercury and New York Liberty. Braxton also played overseas in Poland, Turkey, China and Italy through the 2017-18 season.
Braxton is survived by her husband, Jarvis Jackson, and her two sons, Jelani Thurman and Jream Jackson.