Two-time WNBA champion Kara Braxton dies at 43 after solo crash on Interstate 285
kara braxton, a two-time WNBA champion who spent a decade as a professional player, died Saturday after a solo car crash on Interstate 285 in the Atlanta area. The death is being investigated as authorities seek witnesses and additional information about what led to the collision.
Interstate 285 crash and Cobb County police account
Cobb County police say Braxton was driving alone just after 5 p. m. on Saturday in a 2023 Ford Mustang heading north on Interstate 285 when the vehicle struck the concrete median wall. The Mustang continued in a northerly direction against the wall until it came to rest on the left shoulder of I-285 at Cobb Parkway. She was rushed to Wellstar Kennestone Hospital, where she was pronounced dead.
The crash is under active investigation; law enforcement has asked anyone who witnessed the collision or has information to come forward. Further specifics about what led up to the impact remain unclear in the provided context.
Kara Braxton's Detroit Shock championships
Braxton was a 10-season WNBA veteran who entered the league as the No. 7 overall pick in the 2005 draft by the Detroit Shock. She helped the Shock win WNBA titles in 2006 and 2008 under coach Bill Laimbeer alongside teammates Deanna Nolan and Katie Smith. The WNBA issued a statement mourning her passing and said its thoughts are with her family, friends and former teammates.
Her most visible single-season recognition came in 2007, when she earned her only All-Star selection after averaging 6. 7 points and 5. 4 rebounds. That Shock team reached the Finals that summer before losing to the Phoenix Mercury.
WNBA career moves, overseas play and statistics
After five full seasons in Detroit, Braxton remained with the franchise when it moved to Tulsa in 2010 and later was traded to the Phoenix Mercury. Her time in Phoenix in parts of 2010 and 2011 produced her most productive output, averaging 10. 8 points and 4. 9 rebounds per game. She moved to the New York Liberty in 2011 and spent her final four WNBA seasons there, leaving the league after the 2014 season.
Across 297 career games, Braxton averaged 7. 6 points and 4. 7 rebounds. She finished fourth in Sixth Player of the Year balloting in both 2008 and 2009. Overseas, she continued her career in countries including Turkey, China, Israel and South Korea, winning two Polish league championships and earning Chinese league MVP honors in 2010.
After retiring from professional basketball in 2019, Braxton worked for Nike for several years and later relocated to the Atlanta area.
University of Georgia tenure and degree completion
Braxton rose to prominence at the University of Georgia, where she was the Southeastern Conference freshman of the year in 2002, averaging 16. 3 points and 2. 0 blocked shots per game. Her college playing career in Athens ended in February 2004 when she was removed from the team for undisclosed violations of team policies. She returned to the university later and completed her degree, graduating in spring 2024.
Family, survivors and public reaction
Braxton is survived by her husband, Jarvis Jackson, and a young son named Jream. Her oldest son, Jelani Thurman, is a tight end who spent three seasons at Ohio State, won a national title with the Buckeyes in 2024 and has since transferred to the University of North Carolina. Thurman posted photos of himself with his mother at different stages of his life and wrote that he will miss her.
The WNBA, former teams and other basketball communities have expressed grief at her death. What makes this notable is the combination of Braxton's accomplishments on multiple continents and the abruptness of her passing while living in the Atlanta area.
The investigation into the crash on Interstate 285 is ongoing, and officials continue to seek witnesses who can help explain the events that led to the collision.
