Former WNBA Champion Kara Braxton Dies at 43

Her son plays footabll for the Ohio State Buckeyes.

Former WNBA player Kara Braxton passed away at 43. | Photo by Garrett Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images

Kara Braxton, a former WNBA champion, has died at the age of 43, according to ESPN. Braxton was born in Michigan, but went to high school in Oregon before playing college basketball at Georgia where she was the SEC Freshman of the Year in 2002.

The WNBA confirmed the news in a post on social media, but there is no official word on the cause of death.

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. pic.twitter.com/0I71xWCWfW

— WNBA (@WNBA) February 23, 2026

Braxton selected by the Detroit Shock with the No. 7 pick in the '05 WNBA draft, made the All-Rookie team and was a WNBA All-Star in '07. She played 10 seasons in the WNBA for the Shock, Liberty and Mercury. She won two championships with the Shock in '06 and '08, starting every game in the playoffs during the second title run.

Braxton is survived by her husband, former Bengals linebacker Odell Thurman, and two children. Their son Jelani Thurman, a junior tight end at Ohio State, was on the national championship team in '24.

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