Kara Braxton, 2-time WNBA champion with Detroit Shock, dies at 43

kara braxton, the two-time WNBA champion who helped the Detroit Shock to titles and logged a decade in professional basketball, has died at 43. The league and her former teams confirmed her death; further specifics of her death are not yet known.

Kara Braxton's career: teams, championships and recognition

Braxton was a 10-season veteran who played for the Detroit Shock, Tulsa Shock, Phoenix Mercury, and New York Liberty. She was selected with the No. 7 overall draft pick in 2005 by the Shock and spent her first five full seasons with the organization. She helped the Shock win a pair of WNBA championships, first in 2006 and again in 2008. Braxton earned her only All-Star nod during the 2007 campaign, when she averaged 6. 7 points and 5. 4 rebounds; that Shock squad reached the Finals that summer before falling to the Phoenix Mercury.

Draft, college and early achievements

Braxton followed a dominant run at Georgia, where she was the SEC's Rookie of the Year. The Shock selected her No. 7 overall in the 2005 draft, launching a professional career that would include multiple teams and international stints.

Later teams, international play and career totals

She was dealt to Phoenix in 2010 after the Shock moved to Tulsa, and was moved a year later to the New York Liberty, where she spent her final four seasons before leaving after the 2014 season. In total, Braxton appeared in 297 games and averaged 7. 6 points and 4. 7 rebounds across her career. Her professional resume also included success overseas: she won a pair of Polish league championships and was the Chinese league MVP in 2010.

Personal life, education and post-playing career

After retiring from basketball in 2019, Braxton worked for Nike for several years and relocated to the Atlanta area. She returned to Georgia to finish her degree and graduated in 2024. She is survived by her husband, Jarvis Jackson, and their young son, Jream. Her oldest son, Jelani Thurman, is a tight end who spent the past three seasons at Ohio State, won a national title with the Buckeyes in 2024, and has since transferred to North Carolina.

What is known about her death and the immediate response

The league and her former teams confirmed Braxton's passing Sunday and issued messages expressing profound sadness. She was 43. Further specifics of her death are not yet known. Statements in the hours after the announcement emphasized condolences for her family, friends, and former teammates while noting her impact as a two-time champion and decade-long professional player.

Recent updates indicate additional details may emerge; those details may evolve as family and organizations share more information.