Kara Braxton, a former WNBA player with ties to the Portland area, died Saturday in a car accident in Atlanta, Georgia, according to a report by The Oregonian. She was 43.
The WNBA mourned her passing Sunday in a post on X, calling Braxton a two-time WNBA champion and 10-season veteran who played for the Detroit Shock, Tulsa Shock, Phoenix Mercury and New York Liberty.
"It is with profound sadness that we mourn the passing of 2x WNBA Champion Kara Braxton," the league said. The New York Liberty also posted on X Sunday, saying Braxton's "presence and passion left a lasting impact on our organization and the women's game."
No official cause of death has been released.
Braxton was born Feb. 18, 1983, in Jackson, Michigan, where she played her freshman year of high school before transferring to Westview High School in the Beaverton School District. She and her twin sister, Kim, later enrolled at Westview together, where Braxton earned Oregon Gatorade Player of the Year honors as a senior.
She went on to play college basketball at Georgia for two-and-a-half seasons before entering the WNBA Draft.
Braxton was named to the WNBA's All-Rookie team in 2005 after averaging 6.9 points and 3.0 rebounds as a key reserve for the Detroit Shock. The following year she helped the Shock win the WNBA title, and in 2007 became Detroit's starting center after the team traded Ruth Riley to the San Antonio Stars.
After retiring from professional basketball, Braxton worked for Nike in Oregon before relocating to the Atlanta area.
Her son, Jelani Thurman, played tight end on the Ohio State football team that won the national championship in 2024. Braxton is survived by her husband, Jarvis Jackson, and two sons, Thurman and Jream Jackson.