National Basketball Association

Blaylock in critical after car crash

Published May. 31, 2013 1:00 a.m. ET

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Former NBA All-Star guard Daron ''Mookie'' Blaylock was in critical condition at a hospital Friday after his SUV crossed the center line and crashed head-on into a van in suburban Atlanta, fatally injuring a passenger in the van, police said.

Blaylock was driving in Jonesboro on Friday when he crashed and was airlifted to the Atlanta Medical Center in critical condition, said Clayton County police spokesman Clarence Cox. He was placed on life support but taken off after his condition improved, according to Jonesboro Police Chief Franklin Allen.

Allen said late Friday that 43-year-old Monica Murphy, a passenger in the van, died just before 10 p.m. Allen said her husband, 41-year-old Frankie Murphy, sustained a broken ankle and was released from the hospital after undergoing treatment.

The 46-year-old Blaylock was a first-round draft pick by the New Jersey Nets out of Oklahoma in 1989.

He played for the Atlanta Hawks between 1992 and 1999, appeared in the 1994 NBA All-Star game and had his best season in 1996-97, averaging 17.4 points and 5.9 assists.

In 13 NBA seasons with New Jersey, Atlanta and Golden State, he averaged 13.5 points and 6.2 assists.