Former star center Kara Braxton, a two-time champion and one of the league’s strongest paint presences, passed away unexpectedly at the age of 43, leaving the WNBA community in sadness.
The league sent its sympathies to her family, friends, and former teammates after confirming the tragic news on Sunday. Her death’s circumstances have not yet been made public.
Throughout her ten-year professional career, Kara Braxton was a formidable force, most notably for her championship runs with the Detroit Shock, which she helped win in 2006 and 2008. She went on to play for Tulsa, Phoenix, and New York, receiving an All-Star selection in the process.
She left behind her husband and two sons to become a proud mother and wife off the court. After three years at Ohio State, one of her sons, Jelani Thurman, went on to become well-known in collegiate football and is currently at North Carolina.
Braxton, who stood six feet six, was not only tall but also tough. She established herself as a strong, physically fit large girl who took care of the grunt labor inside and never gave up.
The basketball community is already flooded with tributes, with fans and former teammates recalling her fierce competitiveness and exuberant attitude.
