Kara Braxton
Encyclopedia
Kara Liana Braxton is an American professional basketball player for the New York Liberty
in the WNBA
.
. She and her twin sister later enrolled at Westview High School, in the Portland
suburb of Beaverton
.
Braxton attended the University of Georgia
, and was freshman of the year. She was frequently late to practice and committed other unspecified violations of team rules, and after three suspensions during the 2002–03 season, on February 20, 2004, coach Andy Landers dismissed Braxton from the team. She graduated in 2005.
. She had given birth to a son, Jelani, in January 2005. Jelani's father is Cincinnati Bengals
linebacker Odell Thurman
.
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 Shock. In 2006 she averaged fewer minutes and points than in her rookie season, but helped the Shock win the WNBA title that year.
In 2007, Braxton became Detroit's starting center after the Shock traded Ruth Riley
to the San Antonio Silver Stars
. She averaged 6.0 ppg. Near the end of the 2007 regular season, the WNBA suspended Braxton for two games after she pleaded guilty to a charge of driving under the influence of alcohol. She was also suspended for the first six games of the 2009 season for a second DUI.
New York Liberty
The New York Liberty is a professional basketball team based in New York City, playing in the Eastern Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was one of the eight original franchises of the league...
in the WNBA
Women's National Basketball Association
The Women's National Basketball Association is a women's professional basketball league in the United States. It currently is composed of twelve teams. The league was founded on April 24, 1996 as the women's counterpart to the National Basketball Association...
.
Early life
Kara and her twin sister Kim grew up in a household with four other siblings in Jackson, Michigan. Her father also played basketball. She played her freshman season at Jackson High and then moved to OregonOregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
. She and her twin sister later enrolled at Westview High School, in the Portland
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
suburb of Beaverton
Beaverton, Oregon
Beaverton is a city in Washington County, Oregon, United States, seven miles west of Portland in the Tualatin River Valley.As of the 2010 census, the population is 90,267. This makes it the second-largest city in the county and Oregon's sixth-largest city...
.
Braxton attended the University of Georgia
University of Georgia
The University of Georgia is a public research university located in Athens, Georgia, United States. Founded in 1785, it is the oldest and largest of the state's institutions of higher learning and is one of multiple schools to claim the title of the oldest public university in the United States...
, and was freshman of the year. She was frequently late to practice and committed other unspecified violations of team rules, and after three suspensions during the 2002–03 season, on February 20, 2004, coach Andy Landers dismissed Braxton from the team. She graduated in 2005.
The WNBA
On April 16, 2005, the Shock drafted Braxton in the first round and was the seventh overall pick in the annual WNBA draftWNBA Draft
The WNBA Draft is an annual draft held by the WNBA through which WNBA teams can select new players from a talent pool of college and professional women's basketball players. The first WNBA draft was held in 1997...
. She had given birth to a son, Jelani, in January 2005. Jelani's father is Cincinnati Bengals
Cincinnati Bengals
The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional football team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the AFC's North Division in the National Football League . The Bengals began play in 1968 as an expansion team in the American Football League , and joined the NFL in 1970 in the AFL-NFL...
linebacker Odell Thurman
Odell Thurman
Odell Lamar Thurman is an American football linebacker for the Virginia Destroyers of the United Football League. He was drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals in the second round of the 2005 NFL Draft. He played college football at Georgia....
.
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 Shock. In 2006 she averaged fewer minutes and points than in her rookie season, but helped the Shock win the WNBA title that year.
In 2007, Braxton became Detroit's starting center after the Shock traded Ruth Riley
Ruth Riley
Ruth Ellen Riley is an American professional basketball player for the San Antonio Silver Stars in the Women's National Basketball Association . Her Notre Dame team won the NCAA women's championship in 2001, and her Detroit Shock team won the WNBA championship in 2003 and 2006...
to the San Antonio Silver Stars
San Antonio Silver Stars
The San Antonio Silver Stars are a professional basketball team based in San Antonio, Texas, playing in the Western Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded in Salt Lake City, Utah before the league's inaugural 1997 season began; the team moved to San Antonio...
. She averaged 6.0 ppg. Near the end of the 2007 regular season, the WNBA suspended Braxton for two games after she pleaded guilty to a charge of driving under the influence of alcohol. She was also suspended for the first six games of the 2009 season for a second DUI.
European career
- 2005–2006:
TS Wisla Can-Pack KrakowTS Wisla Can-Pack KrakówTS Wisla Can-Pack Kraków is a Polish women basketball team, based in Kraków, playing in the PLKK.-Achievements:** Vice-Europe:: 1970** 4th place in the Euroleague Final Four: 2010** Quarterfinal Euroleague : 2010, 2011... - 2006–2007:
Beşiktaş Cola TurkaBesiktas Cola TurkaBeşiktaş Milangaz is a professional basketball team of Beşiktaş J.K., which is a sports club from İstanbul, Turkey. Their home arena is the Sinan Erdem Dome with a capacity of 16,000 seats... - 2007–2008: TS Wisla Can-Pack KrakowTS Wisla Can-Pack KrakówTS Wisla Can-Pack Kraków is a Polish women basketball team, based in Kraków, playing in the PLKK.-Achievements:** Vice-Europe:: 1970** 4th place in the Euroleague Final Four: 2010** Quarterfinal Euroleague : 2010, 2011...
- 2008–2009: GalatasarayGalatasaray Women's Basketball TeamGalatasaray Medical Park is the women's basketball section of Galatasaray S.K., a major sports club in Istanbul, Turkey. The club is sponsored by Medical Park....