The 49-year-old Simone Edwards, the first Jamaican woman in the WNBA and Storm’s first teammate in 2000, has died.
We are saddened to hear of the passing of our own Simone Edwards,” the Storm posted on Twitter Thursday evening. ” This Jamaican superstar was a fighter on and off the court. She brought hope and happiness to so many. We send our deepest sympathies to Simone’s family and loved ones.”
In recent years, Edwards has mentored young athletes and advocated for women’s sports, and social justice causes around the world. Basketball fans have been stunned by her untimely death, as well as by her dedication to giving back off the court.
Simone Edwards Cause Of Death
In 2021, Edwards was diagnosed with ovarian cancer and announced her treatment progress on social media. The cause of death for Simone Edwards was ovarian cancer.
Edwards has served as the national spokesperson for Caribbean American Heritage Month since 2017. Moreover, she founded the “Simone4Children Learning Center” in Kingston, Jamaica, and led Jamaican national youth programs.
A award was given to Simone Edwards by the Jamaican government in August 2017, which is Jamaica’s highest honor, the Order of Distinction.
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Who was Simone Edwards?
She was the first Jamaican woman who has joined a WNBA team.
The 49-year-old Edwards has represented Jamaica at the international level both as a player and as a coach. During her childhood, she participated in track and field, and she went on to attend Oklahoma College.
She played basketball collegiately and professionally after arriving in the United States.
During the fledgling years of the WNBA, Edwards played for the Seattle Storm. She played 178 games in six years with Seattle, winning 48 of them. In 2000, the expansion team joined the league, which was founded in 1997. Her scoring average was 5.3, and her rebounding average was 3.5 on her way to the championship.
During the 2014 Caribbean Championships, she coached Jamaica’s national women’s team. She worked at Radford University and George Mason University as an assistant coach.
She retired from the sport in May 2006 after winning the WNBA Championship in 2004 with the Storm.
The Jamaica Basketball Association (JaBA) president, Paulton Gordon, expressed deep sorrow over Edwards’ death.