Kevin Braswell, a native of Baltimore and former Georgetown Hoyas basketball standout, has passed away at the age of 46. His untimely death was announced on Monday by Utsunomiya Brex, a team in Japan’s domestic league where Braswell had served as a coach. Although a specific cause of death was not disclosed, he had been hospitalized following heart surgery earlier this year.
The Utsunomiya Brex released a statement expressing profound respect and gratitude for Braswell’s dedication and significant contributions to the team over two seasons. Braswell’s illustrious basketball journey began during his college years, where he represented the Georgetown Hoyas from 1998 to 2002, averaging 13.6 points over 128 games.
After college, he participated in pre-season games with the Toronto Raptors and Miami Heat and played for the Florida Flame and Columbus Riverdragons. His versatile playing career also took him across the globe to countries such as Israel, Italy, Belgium, Poland, Russia, and Turkey. Notably, Braswell was part of the New Zealand Breakers in the Australian National Basketball League, helping them secure a championship win in 2011. He later served as the Breakers’ head coach in 2018.
The New Zealand Breakers paid tribute to Braswell, calling him a legend in a post on social media. They recalled his remarkable achievements as a player, championship winner, Sixth Man of the Year, and head coach. “Today we mourn the passing of Breakers legend Kevin Braswell,” the team stated, extending their thoughts and love to his family.
