Kara Braxton

Last updated

Kara Braxton
Kara Braxton 84.JPG
Free agent
Position Power forward / center
Personal information
Born (1983-02-18) February 18, 1983 (age 42)
Jackson, Michigan, U.S.
Listed height6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)
Listed weight225 lb (102 kg)
Career information
High school Westview (Beaverton, Oregon)
College Georgia (2002–2005)
WNBA draft 2005: 1st round, 7th overall pick
Drafted by Detroit Shock
Playing career2005–present
Career history
2005–2008 Detroit Shock
2010 Tulsa Shock
2010–2011 Phoenix Mercury
2011–2014 New York Liberty
Career highlights and awards
Stats at WNBA.com
Stats at Basketball Reference

Kara Liana Braxton (born February 18, 1983) is an American professional basketball player who last played for the New York Liberty of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA).

Contents

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 Oregon. 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. [1] She graduated in 2005.

Professional career

WNBA

On April 16, 2005, the Shock drafted Braxton in the first round as the seventh overall pick in the annual WNBA draft. 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 Stars. She averaged 6.0 ppg. Near the end of the 2007 regular season, the WNBA suspended Braxton for two games after she pled guilty to driving under the influence of alcohol. She was also suspended for the first six games of the 2009 season for a second DUI.

On May 28, 2014, the Liberty waived Braxton.

Career statistics

Legend
  GPGames played  GS Games started MPG Minutes per game RPG  Rebounds per game
 APG  Assists per game SPG  Steals per game BPG  Blocks per game PPG Points per game
 TO  Turnovers per game FG%  Field-goal percentage 3P%  3-point field-goal percentage FT%  Free-throw percentage
 Bold Career best°League leader
†Denotes season(s) in which Braxton won a WNBA championship

WNBA

Regular season

WNBA regular season statistics [2]
YearTeamGPGSMPGFG%3P%FT%RPGAPGSPGBPGTOPPG
2005 Detroit 33213.846.20.055.03.00.40.50.41.66.9
2006 Detroit 34110.640.60.062.53.40.80.30.31.64.3
2007 Detroit 312017.644.7—67.25.40.50.50.52.06.7
2008 Detroit 331017.941.50.074.35.10.80.40.71.68.9
2009 Detroit 28218.052.7—64.56.01.50.70.61.89.0
2010 Tulsa 221616.850.025.063.94.61.31.10.83.09.3
Phoenix 13017.254.4—71.14.81.20.60.42.111.1
2011 Phoenix 181819.855.950.059.54.91.30.80.81.810.6
New York 13012.839.733.340.03.00.80.40.51.53.9
2012 New York 341815.748.120.045.04.51.10.50.62.26.6
2013 New York 343321.848.1—66.16.61.20.60.42.38.7
2014 New York 407.850.0—100.01.00.80.30.31.02.5
Career12 years, 3 teams29712016.447.528.064.14.70.90.60.51.97.6
All-Star1112.328.6——4.00.00.00.01.04.0

Playoffs

WNBA playoff statistics
YearTeamGPGSMPGFG%3P%FT%RPGAPGSPGBPGTOPPG
2005 Detroit 2018.027.8—83.33.51.00.00.01.57.5
2006 † Detroit 10012.342.3—54.52.80.60.80.41.85.0
2007 Detroit 11015.546.90.070.85.50.50.30.71.87.0
2008 † Detroit 9920.050.0—65.05.31.00.40.61.98.6
2009 Detroit 5019.254.1—57.16.81.40.81.42.49.6
2010 Phoenix 4013.359.3100.042.92.50.80.30.31.89.0
2011 New York 3016.050.00.0100.04.31.70.30.31.75.0
2012 New York 2217.543.80.00.03.50.02.00.00.57.0
Career8 years, 3 teams461116.147.625.063.94.50.80.50.61.87.2

College

NCAA statistics [3]
Year Team GP Points FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
2001–02 Georgia 3048954.0 14.3 62.6 6.8 2.3 1.82.0 16.3
2002–03 21 330 55.128.673.27.3 2.51.4 2.015.7
2003–04 20 274 47.8 16.7 64.8 8.01.2 1.4 1.3 13.7
Career71 1582 52.6 20.0 65.9 7.3 2.0 1.6 1.8 15.4

European career

Statistics

References

  1. ↑ Associated Press, "Georgia Dismisses Leading Scorer Braxton" [ permanent dead link ] February 20, 2004
  2. ↑ "Kara Braxton WNBA Stats". Basketball Reference. Retrieved April 1, 2025.
  3. ↑ "Women's Basketball Player stats". NCAA. Retrieved October 2, 2015.
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