Two-time WNBA champion and former UGA player killed in Atlanta crash
Two-time WNBA champion and former UGA player killed in Atlanta crash
Irene Wright and Sara Tidwell, USA TODAYTue, February 24, 2026 at 3:45 PM UTC
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A WNBA veteran, two-time champion and former University of Georgia Bulldog Kara Braxton died in Atlanta over the weekend.
She was 43 years old.
Cobb County police said Braxton was involved in a single-vehicle crash on Atlanta's I-285 on the evening of Feb. 21. Braxton "failed to maintain her lane" before colliding with a median on the left shoulder.
Her death was confirmed by the WNBA on Feb. 22 with a statement on social media.
"It is with profound sadness that we mourn the passing of 2x WNBA Champion Kara Braxton," the organization said. "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."
Kara Braxton joins the Bulldogs
Georgia Basketball said they are mourning the "loss of former Lady Bulldog Kara Braxton, who played from 2002-2004," in a Feb. 22 post on X.
The 6 foot, 6 inch tall forward-center came to Athens from Jackson, Michigan and went on to win SEC Rookie of the Year, SEC All-Freshmen and All-SEC.
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Braxton had a career 71 games, averaging 15.4 points a game. She was drafted in 2005 as the 7th overall pick to the Detroit Shock.
Braxton becomes two-time WNBA Champion
Braxton was named to the All-Rookie team in 2005, and went on to play five seasons with the Detroit Shock. She played one season with EAST, one season with Tulsa Shock, two seasons with Phoenix Mercury and four seasons with New York Liberty. She was waived from the New York Liberty in 2014, and worked with Nike before moving to Atlanta.
Braxton won the WNBA Championship twice with the Detroit Shock, first in 2006 and then again in 2008.
In 2023, Braxton came back to the University of Georgia to complete her degree.
"It has always been a goal of mine to come back and finish school, and finish what I started," Braxton said in an interview with The Frierson Files. "It's a very exciting time for me right now."
Irene Wright is the Atlanta Connect reporter with USA Today’s Deep South Connect team. Find her on X @IreneEWright or email her at ismith@usatodayco.com.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Kara Braxton, a former WNBA champion, killed in Atlanta crash at 43
Source: “AOL Sports”
